Blazing - Book One: Into the Wild
by Hissing Willows
Summary: Seasons ago, Bluefur refused to give up her kits, and Thistleclaw became deputy in her place. Thistlestar leads his clan cruelly, greedy for land. In his territorial rage, he chases away and injures young kittypet Rusty. RiverClan rescues Rusty and accepts him into their clan, but while he just wants to learn the ways of his clan, he finds himself in the middle of a desperate war.
1. Allegiances

**Hey! I've been wanting to write another story while I manage Broken, but Melting Frost has kind of died in my mind right now. I've already gotten three chapters of this written, and it's been surprisingly easy compared to other stories. I'm not sure how often this will be updated, but it should be pretty frequent for now. Blazing is a working title, so I may or may not change it.**

 **The allegiances for Blazing are actually full, rather than just ThunderClan and snippets of the other clans. All of the clan cats are cannon, too.**

* * *

 **ALLEGIANCES**

* * *

 **THUNDERCLAN**

 **Leader:** Thistlestar- well-muscled, spiky-furred, dark gray-and-white tabby tom with gray patches mottling his white face (Father of Whitestorm.)

 **Deputy:** Tigerclaw- big dark brown tabby tom with unusually long front claws

 _ **Apprentice, Ravenpaw**_

 **Medicine Cat:** Spottedleaf- pretty tortoiseshell she-cat

 **Warriors:**

Bluefur- blue-gray she-cat with a graying muzzle (Mother of Stonefur, Mistyfoot, and Mosstail.)

Whitestorm- big white tom

 _ **Apprentice, Sandpaw**_

Lionheart- golden tabby tom with fur like a lion's mane

 _ **Apprentice, Graypaw**_

Redtail– small tortoiseshell tom with a distinctive ginger tail (Father of Sandpaw.)

 _ **Apprentice, Dustpaw**_

Darkstripe- sleek black-and-gray tabby tom

Willowpelt- slender, very pale silver-gray she-cat

Stonefur- stocky, thick-furred, blue-gray tom with battle-scarred ears

Mistyfoot- glossy blue-gray she-cat

Mosstail- brown tabby she-cat

Longtail- pale silver tabby tom with black stripes

Runningwind- slender, light brown tabby tom

Mousefur- small dusky brown she-cat

 **Apprentices:**

Ravenpaw- sleek black tom with a white tail-tip

Graypaw- long-haired gray tom with a darker stripe running down his back

Sandpaw- slender, pale ginger tabby she-cat

Dustpaw- dark brown tabby tom

 **Queens:**

Brindleface- pretty brown tabby she-cat

Frostfur- beautiful white she-cat with blue eyes (Mother of Cinderkit, Brackenkit, Brightkit, and Thornkit)

Goldenflower- sleek, pale ginger tabby she-cat (Mother of Swiftkit)

Speckletail- old, pale tabby she-cat (Mother of Snowkit)

 **Elders:**

Halftail– big dark brown tabby tom with part of his tail missing

Smallear– gray tom with small ears, eldest ThunderClan tom

Rosetail– light ginger she-cat with a pinkish-orange tail

Patchpelt– small black-and-white tom

One-eye– pale gray she-cat, eldest cat in ThunderClan; virtually blind and deaf

Dappletail– once-pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with a lovely dappled coat

 **RIVERCLAN**

 **Leader:** Crookedstar- huge light-colored tabby tom with a twisted jaw

 **Deputy:** Leopardfur- dappled, golden tabby she-cat with unusual golden spots

 **Medicine Cat:** Mudfur- long-haired light brown tom

 **Warriors:**

Skyheart- pale brown tabby she-cat

Blackclaw- broad-shouldered, long-legged smoky black tom with a long tail

 _ **Apprentice, Heavypaw**_

Voleclaw- gray tom

 _ **Apprentice, Vixenpaw**_

Beetlenose- broad-shouldered black tom (Sunfish's mate.)

 _ **Apprentice, Shadepaw**_

Petaldust- tortoiseshell she-cat

 _ **Apprentice, Mosspaw**_

Loudbelly- dark brown tom

 _ **Apprentice, Silverpaw**_

Whiteclaw- white tom

Dawnbright- ginger-and-white she-cat

Sedgecreek- mottled ginger-brown tabby she-cat

Sunfish- light golden she-cat (Mother of Vixenpaw and Grasspaw)

Frogleap- brown tom with dark striped tail

Silverstream- silver-gray she-cat with black tabby stripes

 **Apprentices:**

Grasspaw- small, brown-striped tabby tom

Vixenpaw- thick-furred black she-cat

Shadepaw- very dark gray she-cat

Mosspaw- slim tortoiseshell she-cat

Silverpaw- silver tom

Heavypaw- stocky brown tom

 **Queens:**

Mallowtail- dark ginger-and-white she-cat (Expecting Whiteclaw's kits)

 **Elders:**

Graypool- old, thin gray she-cat with patchy fur and a scarred muzzle

 **SHADOWCLAN**

 **Leader:** Brokenstar- massive, very dark brown tabby tom with long, ragged fur, and a thick, bent tail

 **Deputy:** Blackfoot- large white tom with jet-black paws

 **Medicine Cats:** Runningnose- small gray-and-white tom

Barkface- short-tailed brown tom

 **Warriors:**

Flintfang- gray tom

Fernshade- tortoiseshell she-cat

Clawface- battle-scarred brown tom (Father of Stumpytail and Cinderfur.)

Rowanberry- cream-and-brown she-cat (Mother of Stumpytail and Cinderfur)

Nutwhisker- brown tom with amber eyes

Cinderfur- gray tom

Stumpytail- brown tom with darker stripes and a short, stumpy tail

 _ **Apprentice, Whitepaw**_

Boulder- silver tabby tom

Russetfur- small, sleek dark ginger she-cat

Wetfoot- gray tabby tom

 _ **Apprentice, Oakpaw**_

Tangleburr- gray and brown she-cat

 _ **Apprentice, Littlepaw**_

Applefur-mottled brown she-cat

Ratscar-scarred dark brown tom

Snowbird- pretty white she-cat

 **Apprentices:**

Oakpaw- small, brown tom

Littlepaw- very small tabby tom

Whitepaw- black tom with white chest and paws

 **Queens:**

Dawncloud- small, pale ginger she-cat

Darkflower- black she-cat

Tallpoppy- long-legged, light-brown tabby she-cat (Expecting Flintfang's kits)

Brightflower- black-and-white she-cat

 **Elders:**

Nightfur- sickly, sleek black tom

Ashfur- thin gray tom

 **WINDCLAN**

 **Leader:** Leader: Tallstar– black and white tom with a very long tail

 **Deputy** : Deadfoot– solid black tom with a twisted paw

 **Medicine Cat:** Barkface– short-tailed brown tom

 **Warriors:**

Doespring- light brown she-cat

Sorrelleap- gray and brown she-cat

Pigeonwing- short-legged dark gray-and-white patched tom

Flywhisker- tall, skinny white tom

Bristlefur- black tom with a thick, messy pelt

Rabbitwing- pale brown she-cat with a white belly

Wrenflight- brown she-cat (Mother of Onewhisker)

Mudclaw- wiry dark brown mottled tabby tom

 _ **Apprentice, Webpaw**_

Tornear- wiry, lithe gray tabby tom

 _ **Apprentice, Runningpaw**_

Onewhisker- small, lean, mottled pale brown tabby tom

 _ **Apprentice, Whitepaw**_

 **Apprentices:**

Webpaw- wiry, dark gray tabby tom

Runningpaw- sleek brown she-cat

Whitepaw- white tom

 **Queens:**

Ashfoot- skinny gray she-cat (Mother of Eaglekit, a gray tom)

Morningflower- light tortoiseshell she-cat (Mother of Gorsekit, a gray tom)

 **Elders:**

Stagleap- dark brown tom

Ryestalk- gray tabby she-cat

Crowfur- dark gray tom


	2. Prologue

**The first part of the prologue is _mostly_ the same as the original, but I've changed bits here and there, and Tigerclaw isn't shown as the POV.**

* * *

A _half-moon glowed on the smooth granite boulders, turning them silver._ The silence was broken only by the quiet splash of water from the swift black river and the whisper of wind in the trees in the forest beyond.

There was a stirring in the shadows, and from all around lithe dark shapes crept stealthily over the rocks. Unsheathed claws glinted in the moonlight. Wary eyes flashed like amber. And then, as if on a silent signal, the creatures leaped at each other, and suddenly the rocks were alive with wrestling, screeching cats.

At the center of the frenzy of fur and claws, a muscular gray tom pinned a sleek, damp-furred bracken-colored tom to the ground and drew his head up triumphantly. "Oakheart!" the tom growled. "How, dare you hunt in our territory? The Sunningrocks belong to ThunderClan!"

"After tonight, Stonefur, this will be just another RiverClan hunting ground!" the bracken-colored tom spat back, struggling slightly.

A warning yowl came from the shore, shrill and anxious.

"Look out! More RiverClan warriors are coming!"

Stonefur turned to see sleek wet bodies sliding out of the water below the rocks. The drenched RiverClan warriors bounded silently up the shore and hurled themselves into battle without even stopping to shake the water from their fur. He let out a furious growl at the sight of the reinforcements.

The dark tom glared down at Oakheart. "You may swim like otters, but you and your warriors do not belong in this forest!" He drew back his lips and showed his teeth as the cat struggled beneath him.

The desperate scream of a ThunderClan she-cat rose above the clamor. A wiry RiverClan tom had pinned the brown warrior flat on her belly. Now he lunged toward her neck with jaws still dripping from his swim across the river.

Stonefur heard the cry and let go of Oakheart. With a mighty leap, he knocked the enemy warrior away from the she-cat. "Quick Mousefur, run!" he ordered, before turning on the RiverClan tom who had threatened her. Mousefur scrambled to her paws, wincing from a deep gash on her shoulder, and raced away.

Behind her, Stonefur spat with rage as the RiverClan tom sliced open his nose. Blood blinded him for an instant, but he lunged forward regardless and sank his teeth into the hind leg of his enemy. The RiverClan cat squealed and struggled free.

"Stonefur!" The yowl came from a warrior with a tail as red as fox fur. "This is useless! There are too many RiverClan warriors!"

"No, Redtail! ThunderClan will never be beaten!" Stonefur yowled back, leaping to Redtail's side. "This is our territory! We can't give it up like frightened mice!" Blood was welling around his broad gray muzzle, and he shook his head impatiently scattering scarlet drops onto the rocks.

"ThunderClan will honor your courage, Stonefur, but we cannot afford to lose any more of our warriors," Redtail urged. "Thistlestar would never expect his warriors to fight against these impossible odds. We will have another chance to avenge this defeat." He met Stonefur's blue-gaze steadily, then reared away and sprang onto a boulder at the edge of the trees. Stonefur felt a rush of pride at the compliment, but with another glance at the RiverClan intruders, he burned with fury.

"Retreat, ThunderClan! Retreat!" he yowled. At once his warriors squirmed and struggled away from their opponents. Spitting and snarling, they backed toward Redtail. for a heartbeat the RiverClan cats looked confused. Was this battle so easily won? Then Oakheart yowled a jubilant cry. As soon as they heard him, the RiverClan warriors raised their their voices and joined their deputy in caterwauling their victory.

Redtail looked down at his warriors. With a flick of his tail, he gave the signal and the ThunderClan cats dived down the far side of the Sunningrocks, then disappeared into the trees.

Stonefur followed last. He hesitated at the edge of the forest and glanced back at the bloodstained battlefield. His face was grim, and his eyes furious slits. Then he leaped after his Clan into the silent forest.

In a deserted clearing, deep in the moonlit forest, an aged gray-and-white tom sat alone, staring up as the clear night sky. All around him in the shadows he could hear the breathing and stirrings of sleeping cats as they rested after the night's defeat.

A small, pretty tortoiseshell she-cat emerged from a dark corner, her pawsteps quick and soundless.

The gray tom dipped his head in greeting. "How is Mousefur?" he meowed.

"Her wounds are deep, Thistlestar," answered the tortoiseshell, settling herself on the night-cool grass. "But she is young and strong; she will heal quickly."

"And the others?"

"They will all recover, too."

Thistlestar sighed. "We are lucky not to have lost any of our warriors this time. You are a gifted medicine cat, Spottedleaf." He tilted his head again and studied the stars. After a silent moment, his eyes narrowed to slits. "I am angered by tonight's defeat. ThunderClan has not been beaten in its own territory since I became leader," he muttered. "These are difficult times for our Clan. The season of newleaf is late, and there have been fewer kits. ThunderClan needs more warriors if it is to survive." Thistlestar let out a quiet growl. "But when we recover, RiverClan will be sorely punished for their deeds."

"But the year is only just beginning," Spottedleaf pointed out calmly. There will be more kits when greenleaf comes." _And our warriors cannot fight needlessly forever,_ she thought privately with a flick of her tail.

The gray-and-white tom twitched his broad shoulders in a hint of a shrug. "Perhaps. But training our young to become warriors takes time. If ThunderClan is to defend its territory, it must have new warriors as soon as possible."

"Are you asking StarClan for answers?" meowed Spottedleaf gently, following Thistlestar's gaze staring up at the swath of stars glittering in the dark sky.

"...No," Thistlestar answered carefully. "StarClan has never fought our battles for us, and I don't see them coming down from the stars to do so anytime soon." At Spottedleaf's quiet _huff_ , he added, "But I would not turn away a word of advice from our ancestors if they offered it." He glanced at his medicine cat. "Has StarClan spoken to you, Spottedleaf?"

"Not for some moons, Thistlestar."  
She sighed, returning her gaze to the stars above.

Suddenly a shooting star blazed over the treetops. Spottedleaf's tail twitched and the fur along her spine bristled.

Thistlestar's ears pricked but he remained silent as Spottedleaf continued to gaze upward.

After a few moments, Spottedleaf lowered her head and she turned to Thistlestar. "It was a message from StarClan," she murmured. A distant look came into her eyes. "Fire will burn away at the shadows of the forest, and cleanse with water's gentle flow."

"Fire?" Thistlestar echoed. "Does that mean fire will save our clan?" He frowned. "Is _fire_ supposed to defeat our enemies for us?"

Spottedleaf shook her head. "I do not know," she admitted. "But this is the message StarClan has chosen to share with me."

The ThunderClan leader fixed his amber gaze on the medicine cat. "You have never been wrong before, Spottedleaf," he meowed. "If StarClan has spoken, then it must be so." He stared up at the sky. "Fire is going to save our clan."

* * *

Across the river, another clan was much more jovial in manner. Cats tossed fat fish to one another, reveling in the first victory they had in seasons.

Oakheart nudged the large tabby beside him. "Cheer up!" he purred. "We finally gave Thistlestar a taste of his own medicine! He won't be scrounging around here for land for at least another moon."

The large tabby sighed. "But then what, Oakheart?" He stared down at the carp at his paws, uneaten. "How many more battles must we fight against Thistlestar and his cats? That tom is hungry for RiverClan blood, and he has been such since he was a young warrior. It won't be long before they have more strong warriors and attack in full force."

"Crookedstar, you think too much," Oakheart chuckled, nudging the tom again. "Eat! This is a sign good as any that RiverClan is stronger than ever. Sunningrocks is finally ours again, which just means more hunting grounds for us."

Crookedstar glanced at his brother, tired smile as lopsided as the twisted jaw he was named for. "I suppose you're right," he sighed. "This is a great victory for us." He gave his brother a grateful nod. "Thanks to your leadership in it, that is."

Oakheart puffed out his chest. Despite being a senior warrior in his clan, he still kept the energy and charisma of a young cat. "Our warriors are strong," he said, grinning. "This victory can only boost their spirits and make them stronger."

Crookedstar nodded, but gave no reply. _My clan is still struggling, regardless,_ he thought. _Thistlestar is relentless. RiverClan needs more young warriors if it is to survive._

"Crookedstar, I need to speak with you."

The light tabby turned to face a thick-furred brown tom. His eyes gleamed in the moonlight, though his expression was guarded.

Crookedstar nodded. "Of course, Mudfur." He glanced at his deputy. "Feel free to eat my fish."

Oakheart swiped his tongue over his lips. "My pleasure."

Mudfur led his leader a bit sways from the rest of the clan, towards a secluded reedbed. "StarClan has spoken to me."

Crookedstar's ears pricked. "They have? What did they say?"

Mudfur frowned. "It was… cryptic. Brambleberry came to me during the battle, as I dozed off. She told me…" he furrowed his brow as he attempted to recall her exact words. "She said, 'Fire brings destruction, but new life. It releases holds and ties to things unwanted and burns away at evils unseen.' I asked her what she meant, and what fire had to do with anything. She pushed a burning pinecone towards me, and told me to watch as it crackled and sizzled, until the cone was ash and fresh seeds scattered on the ground."

Crookedstar blinked. "What?"

Mudfur nodded. "It was odd, but- well, I think she was trying to remind me of what happens after a fire, it can kill, but it allows new life. Wipes the slate clean, so to speak."

"Get on with it, Mudfur," Crookedstar prompted. "I can tell you are not finished."

"No-" Mudfur shook his head, expression grim. "She told me one more thing…"


	3. Chapter 1

_A breeze ruffled Rusty's ginger pelt,_ shaking the branches of the trees above. It was very dark, but Rusty could sense something was near. The young tomcat's eyes opened wide as he scanned the dense undergrowth, parting his jaws to scent the air. This place was unfamiliar, but the strange scents drew him onward, deeper into the shadows. Musty leaf and moss-scent coated his tongue, mingling teasingly with the scent of a small warm-blooded creature.

The undergrowth ahead rustled, and Rusty spotted a tiny flash of gray. Rusty froze, ears pricked as he listened to the critter's shuffling. He was downwind of the mouse- yes! He would be able to catch it for sure.

Rusty dropped into a crouch, swiping his tongue over his lips as his belly rumbled, reminding him of his hunger. With one final check on the mouse's location- it was still shuffling around for seeds without suspicion of the hunter only tail-lengths away. Rusty grinned and pushed off the ground in a mighty leap, clearing the distance and scattering leaves with his paws as he pounced on the critter.

The mouse let out a squeak and slipped through his paws- but Rusty was too fast! He shot out a paw, scooping the mouse off the ground and sending it flying into the air. He wriggled his haunches, prepared to trap the dazed rodent as it hit the ground-

But then a loud, roaring noise shook the forest, and the mouse squeaked again and raced into the undergrowth. Rusty's ears stood up like rabbit ears, and he swung his head around to find the oddly familiar sound.

With a blink, the forest around him disappeared, and he awoke to find himself in his housefolk's den. The clatter was the sound of one of his housefolk pouring pellets into his food bowl. Rusty rolled onto his belly, parting his jaws in a wide yawn as he tried to savor the remnants of the dream. He scratched at his neck with a hind leg, knocking it annoyingly against his tight collar. The bell tinkled as he did so, and it was only a further reminder of how the dream had been just that- a dream. In his sleep, he'd been able to feel that soft breeze against his neck fur, and he'd felt free. This was the third time he'd dreamed of that infernal mouse, that would always _just_ manage to escape his claws.

Rusty sighed a little as he rose from his soft bed, taking a moment to stretch each limb. His housefolk called something to him as he padded by, pointing at the bowl. Housefolk always seemed to either have dull senses or dull minds- of course Rusty knew the food was there! As he gazed into the metallic bowl, he frowned. He was hungry, but wasn't in the mood for dry pellets.

Dawn sunlight filtered in through the windows, warming his fiery pelt. Perhaps robins would be out picking worms. He licked his lips at the thought of a warm, juicy robin- they were work to catch, for sure, but much more satisfying than the dry food he could eat at his leisure.

Rusty turned away from the bowl and headed towards the catflap that allowed him to go out into the yard. He pushed through the flimsy thing, then shook out his pelt in the sun. The grass was still wet with morning dew, and he felt the urge to have a good roll in it.

A friendly call halted him. "Howdy, Rusty!" The ginger tom looked up to see his friend, Smudge, perched on the top of his fence. "Whatcha gettin' up to?" The fat young cat hopped down and landed sloppily, resulting in a purr from Rusty.

"Not sure," he laughed. Rusty glanced at another shorter fence ahead of him. Forest scents wafted through on the slight breeze, carrying the same leaf mold and mossy scents- but more vibrant, more alive. He was sure there'd be _real_ mice out there, fat on forest vegetation and seeds. He stepped forward towards it, raising a paw tentatively as he approached. "I think I want to go take a look in the forest."

Smudge's eyes widened in horror. "No- don't go out there! Henry went out there once, and he said there's wildcats as big as dogs!"

Rusty rolled his eyes. "That fat tabby never went anywhere! He probably stared at it from his fence and started daydreaming." He frowned. "Maybe he did once, but certainly not since his trip to the vet. Now all he does is eat, sleep, and roll around in the sun."

"He did, though!" Smudge protested. "He caught a robin there and showed it to me!"

Rusty knew that there was a robin's nest in Henry's yard, and that the baby birds had a tendency to fall out of it, but he kept that thought private. "Either way, he _complains_ about birds now for disturbing his sleep."

Smudge puffed up dramatically. "But still- there's mean wildcats out there! I heard they _eat_ cats like us for _snacks!_ Snacks, Rusty!"

Rusty shrugged. "I'll just go for a look," he assured his friend. "I won't go too far- I'll keep the fence in sight!"

Smudge frowned, looking uncomfortable, but nodded. "Okay," he sighed. "Be safe." he brightened after a moment. "And if you catch anything, you better share, you greedy pigeon!"

Rusty chuckled. "Greedy pigeon yourself! Look at that tub of a belly you're hauling!" He turned away and leaped up the fence, feeling satisfied that he could balance much better than his chubby friend. He stared at the forest treeline for a moment, hesitating. What if there _were_ fierce wildcats out there? Shaking his head, he leaped down. _Rusty, you're getting as gullible as Smudge,_ he thought as he landed on the soft grass. He remained still for a few long moments, savoring the view of the thick forest ahead of him.

A rustle of ferns caught his attention. A sandy-brown little creature caught his attention- a _real_ mouse. Instinctively, Rusty lowered himself into a crouch. _This one_ will _be my breakfast!_ He took slow, quiet steps forward as he approached the mouse. The mouse sat up, nibbling on a seed. Rusty felt a rush of adrenaline as he waggled his haunches. His bell hadn't made a sound, either. Today must be his lucky day.

There was a louder, more prominent rustling farther into the bushes, just into the trees. The mouse blinked and shot away, gone for good. Rusty sat back on his haunches with a frustrated huff. His frustration was quickly forgotten as he heard the bushes rustle again. He rose again, craning his neck to try and spot the source of the sound. Something was in the bushes- larger prey, perhaps? Rusty couldn't resist creeping closer, hungry belly urging him on.

The rustling was slowly moving further into the trees. Rusty narrowed his eyes.

Whatever creature was in the undergrowth whipped around and started crashing towards him. The creature flew out of the bushes and slammed into him like a stone, throwing him right off his paws. Rusty yowled with surprise as the hunter quite suddenly became the hunted.

Rusty rolled across the earth before he managed to regain his footing. Whirling around upon his attacker, he saw that his opponent was another kitten- gray with a thick pelt, with a strong stance for one so young. As he turned, the gray kitten charged, crashing into him at full speed. Both young cats fell back, tumbling to the ground. Rusty leaped to his paws, prepared to pounce on the kitten, but stopped as the gray tom simply sat up and licked a paw. Rusty was oddly disappointed by the sudden loss of aggression- he had been filled with adrenaline, prepared to fight fiercely.

"Huh!" The gray kitten huffed good-naturedly. "You put up a fight for a tame kittypet!"

Rusty blinked. His back was still arched as he tried to intimidate the tom, but as he remembered the strength in the tom's attack, he relaxed himself. "I'll fight you again if I have to," he growled.

"I'm Graypaw, by the way," The gray tom meowed as though he hadn't heard Rusty's threat. "I'm training to be a ThunderClan warrior."

Rusty didn't reply. He had no idea what Graypaw- what an odd name!- was yammering about, but he didn't much feel like fighting him again. He could tell, however, that there was no threat in the kitten anymore. He licked his chest fur, trying to appear at ease.

"What's a kittypet like you doing in the woods?" Graypaw asked, drawing his paw over his ears. "In ThunderClan territory, no less. Don't you know it's dangerous?"

Rusty snorted, sitting down. "If _you're_ the most dangerous thing the forest has to offer, I think I could handle myself just fine."

Graypaw chuckled. "Oh, I'm not the most dangerous. I'm just in training- one of our warriors could take you and me both with ease! If I were even half a warrior, I'd have given an intruder like you some _real_ wounds."

Rusty fell a little rush of fear at the word 'intruder'. What did he mean by _that_?

"Anyway," Graypaw went on, giving his chest fur a good lick. "Didn't seem worth giving you any scratches. You're obviously not from the other clans."

"Other clans?" Rusty wondered, confused by everything Graypaw was saying.

Graypaw let out an impatient hiss. "You must have heard of the four warrior Clans that hunt around here! I belong to ThunderClan. The other Clans are always trying to steal prey from our territory, especially ShadowClan. They're so fierce they would have ripped you to shreds, no questions asked." Graypaw paused to spit angrily and continued. "They come to take prey that is rightfully ours. It's the job of the ThunderClan warriors to keep them out of our territory. When I've finished my training, I'll be so dangerous, I'll have the other Clans shaking in their flea-bitten skins. They won't dare come near us then!"

Rusty narrowed his eyes. This must be what Smudge meant by 'wildcats'. From the sound of it, they were greedy for every morsel of meat in the forest! _Why don't they just work together?_ Rusty thought sourly. _There'd be no silly fights then, right?_ Either way, he had to admit, he admired the tom. Life must be rough, fighting for prey and land every day. _Exciting, but rough._ "So you're not a warrior yet?" he asked.

"Why? Did you think I was?" Graypaw purred proudly; then he shook his wide, furry head. "I won't be a real warrior for moons. I have to go through the training first. Kits have to be six moons old before they even begin training. Tonight is actually my first night out as an apprentice."

"Why don't you just find yourself a housefolk and a nice den? Your life would be much easier," Rusty meowed. "There are plenty of housefolk who'd take in a kitten like you. All you have to do is sit where they can see you and look friendly-"

"And they'd feed me pellets that look like rabbit droppings and soft slop!" Graypaw interrupted harshly, demeanor changing in a heartbeat. "No way! I can't think of anything worse than being a kittypet! They're nothing but Twoleg toys! Cooped up in those odd barns, fat on crow-food? That's no life! Out here it's wild, and it's free. We come and go as we please." He grinned proudly. "You've never lived 'til you've ran through the forest with your clanmates and tasted a fresh-caught mouse."

Graypaw frowned at him after his speech. "You wouldn't understand. You have to be _born_ wild to know what it's like. To tame kitties like you, the forest is just one big adventure before you head back to your warm dens and full bowls of slop." He shrugged. "You have to be born a warrior to understand the feeling of having strong warrior blood in your veins or feeling the wind in your whiskers."

Rusty bristled as he thought of his dreams. "That's not all true!"

Graypaw didn't reply, but after a moment, stiffened. "Oh, no. I smell my clanmates. Quick, run! They'll shred you soon as look at you."

Rusty froze fearfully. He wasn't sure how Graypaw knew such a thing- he couldn't smell anything out of the ordinary, but he could tell from the startled expression and bristling fur that Graypaw was very, very worried. He prepared to spring away, but he had no idea where Graypaw's 'clanmates' were coming from. Looking around, he realized they had also rolled too far into the trees for him to see the fence- Rusty was lost already.

It was too late. A voice startled him from behind, deep and gravelly. "What's going on here?"

Rusty turned around to see a massive, spiky-furred gray-and-white tom strolling towards them. The tom's white-mottled face was riddled with nicks and small scars, and his harsh amber gaze seemed to bore right through Rusty. His huge paws crushed the grass beneath them, and Rusty felt miniscule in front of him.

"Thistlestar!" A handsome golden tom followed close behind, thick chest fur much like a mane. "Wait up, will you- wait, what's this?" He frowned down at Rusty, nearly as large as the darker tom beside him. He glared at Graypaw. "You shouldn't be so close to the Twolegplace, Graypaw!"

"I'm sorry, Lionheart," Graypaw murmured, crouching low and tucking his tail beneath him. Rusty felt he should do the same, not to mention that he was filled with fear at the sight of the massive toms in front of him.

"Just _who_ is this?" The gray tom rumbled, lip curling.

"He's not a threat!" Graypaw insisted, gaze flickering nervously from Rusty to Thistlestar. "Just a silly twoleg pet that's lost."

"You _know_ how we treat _twoleg pets_ , Graypaw," Thistlestar growled, unsheathing his claws. He looked back at Rusty. "You may have fought well for an untrained kittypet-" He spat the word like it was venom- "-but you have no place in the forest. You did well to attack him, Graypaw, but you should have given him a few scratches to remember us by." He snarled. "Leave, little kitty."

Rusty couldn't help but feel indignant. He was causing no harm! "Why should I?" he challenged. "I'm not doing anything wrong! I only wanted to catch a mouse or two and I'd be on my way. Surely you can spare."

The outraged snarl that erupted from Thistlestar told him that Rusty had said the wrong thing. "You little _worm_ ," he spat. "You _dare_ challenge me?" He drew himself even taller than he was before, and Rusty swallowed. "I am Thistlestar, leader of ThunderClan," he said. "And you've made your final mistake coming here."

Before Rusty knew what was happening, he was clobbered over the head with a hefty paw, and unsheathed claws tore through Rusty's ear. He yowled in pain and surprise as he tumbled onto his back. Graypaw gasped, and Lionheart took a step back, looking uncomfortable. "Thistlestar, he is only a kit, and the code-"

"The code says a leader's word is law, Lionheart," Thistlestar hissed. "And I say this insolent rat dies today."

Rusty tried to stand as the massive tom padded closer, curling claws unsheathed. He was filled with dread as he glanced at Graypaw, who was backing away and shaking his head. _I can't die,_ Rusty thought, cowering miserably. _Not like this!_


	4. Chapter 2

**Reviews:**

 **Guest: Beetlenose is from Crookedstar's Promise, and Applefur is mentioned in Tigerclaw's Fury. The OotS Applefur is a different cat, and you're probably thinking of Beetlewhisker. Snowbird actually does exist in the first series, though she should actually be an apprentice for this book. Also, other clan cats did exist- it's just that the Erins didn't include them at first, probably because they hadn't entirely figured out backstories. If you look at the Special Editions, plenty of the young cats who come in at the end, like Dawnbright or Sorrelleap, would probably still be alive during the original series.**

 **Thunderandshadowclancats: Nope! The first chapter is the only one that similar to the original. This chapter ends up much more different. Of course, major events are still going to be the same, though a bit altered. Some things** _ **won't**_ **happen like they did in cannon (Like Redtail being murdered- there's no reason for Tigerclaw to kill him), but you'll have to stick around to see what else changes!**

* * *

" _Well?"_ _Thistlestar hissed._ "Get up and fight, wretched kittypet!"

Lionheart was staring at him coldly, despite trying to soothe his leader, and Graypaw only watched helplessly.

Rusty forced himself to his paws. _Maybe I can give him a good scratch,_ he thought, not believing it for a moment. _I can surprise him and run home and never come back and-_

Thistlestar leaped, swinging a mighty paw and scoring his claws across Rusty's chest and knocking him away again. Rusty let out a pained cry as he crashed to the forest floor again. Twice more he tried to rise, and twice more Thistlestar struck him down, leaving dozens of hair-thin scratches on his hide. The dark tom sneered down at him cruelly. Rusty couldn't but think that Thistlestar _enjoyed_ hurting him.

Rusty was kicked again into a patch of soft, loose earth. As Thistlestar advanced, he hissed, "Weak kittypet! Your fight against Graypaw was clearly a fluke. You won't even stand up to me!" Rusty scowled, feeling a sudden rush of adrenaline. He would _not_ go down like this, beaten down into the dust like an alley rat! As Thistlestar raised a paw, ready to strike, Rusty acted swiftly, scraping his paw against the loose dirt and swinging it up into Thistlestar's face. He nearly grinned in satisfaction as the dirt was flung into Thistlestar's eyes. The gray tom roared in fury, stumbling back in surprise. As he shook his head furiously, Rusty leaped to his paws and raced under Thistlestar's belly, streaking past a surprised but still Lionheart, into the unknown forest.

"Kittypet!" Thistlestar yowled, his roar carrying through the forest as Rusty raced away. "I'll _murder_ you! Your entrails will be spread from here to Highstones!"

Rusty flattened his ears, leaping over a clump of fallen bracken. He had no idea where he was going, or where his home was. All he knew was that his wounds burned and that he needed to _run_.

Rusty thought countless times that he heard noises behind him, but nothing leaped out to claw at him. He wasn't sure how long he'd ran, but eventually his muscles burned, screaming for relief. Rusty found a hollow under a tree and curled up inside, panting heavily as he cowered inside. He laid there for hours, possibly, and once heard voices in the distance.

As the sky began to darken, however, he emerged from the burrow. His legs were still sore, but he figured he should keep moving. He stood still by the tree for a few moments. _Do I go back?_ he wondered. _I don't know if I'd be able to find my way, let alone without running into Thistlestar and ThunderClan. If only I'd listened to Smudge…_ he sighed. _Maybe if I keep going I'll find someone friendly who can help me._ As he walked, he winced. _I hope I can get home soon so I can get these scratches mended._

Rusty continued onward through the forest, much more slowly than before. His legs still burned and his wounds ached something terrible. He glanced at the sky to see it cascaded in orange and pink hues- but he hardly enjoyed it. Rusty had a better view from his fence, and he wasn't feeling so cheerful as to sit and watch it set in the treetops.

As dusk fell, crickets chirped throughout the forest. Rusty let out a sigh. Surely he'd at least be safe for the night.

"There he is! I smell him!"

"Are you certain, Longtail?"

"Of course, Darkstripe!"

"Wait, it's fresh!"

And then he heard that familiar snarl. "After him, then! I won't let kittypets think they can wander in and out of my land as they please!"

Rusty's heart sunk. _No!_ Without another thought, he took off, crashing through the undergrowth.

"Aha! After him!"

Rusty forced himself to pump his legs even harder than earlier. His chest burned painfully as his lungs heaved for air, his muscles strained to leap over fallen logs and thick undergrowth, and his wounds stung terribly as they hit leaves and branches and thorns.

Rusty could tell the warriors were gaining on him. Their crashing and yowling was rapidly becoming closer and closer- no matter how fast he ran, they were much, much faster.

Suddenly, the treeline ended, and Rusty felt warm stones beneath his paws. Ahead of him, he heard the sound of fresh, moving water- a river was ahead of him, across the sand-colored warm rocks. Though he tried to keep running, he was tripped up by the unexpected rocks, and he fell, unbalanced. Rusty cried out in pain as his head cracked sharply against a stone. He remained sprawled on the rocks, stunned and hopeless.

As the ThunderClan cats burst from the trees, hissing victoriously, another yowl sounded from the river. "ThunderClan intruders!"

Rusty raised his head weakly to see sleek, dripping cats burst from the river.

"Leave this place, Oakheart!" he heard Thistlestar yowl. "This kittypet is _my_ intruder, and Sunningrocks belongs to me!"

Rusty tried to stand, but a dark gray-and-black ThunderClan tom shot forward and slammed him into the stones sharply. Rusty couldn't help but cry out again in pain. "Not so fast, kittypet," the dark tabby spat.

The bracken-colored river cat stepped forward, flanked by four more warriors. "If you weren't so busy yowling and scaring off your own prey, Thistlestar, you might've noticed we'd placed the new border markers. I'd take my cats off of Sunningrocks if I were you." His eyes travelled down to the trembling form of Rusty, and he curled his lips. "You're hunting a kittypet _kit_? Have you no shame? Look at him! You could have cuffed him over the ears and sent him home with no trouble." He _tsked_ sharply. "First you trespass on RiverClan land, and then we catch you breaking the code harming a kit."

"He was a trespasser, and he disrespected Thistlestar," The dark tabby snarled. "ThunderClan doesn't take that lightly, Oakheart."

"Now that's where we understand each other," Oakheart said, before he lashed his tail to both sides. "I have the same low-tolerance for intruders." As though it were a signal, the four cats behind him screeched and leaped forward, lunging on the ThunderClan cats.

Rusty gasped in relief as the dark tabby on top of him was thrown off by a ginger-and-white she-cat, still dripping wet from the river. Breifly, Rusty wondered how the cats stood the water, but he scrambled to paws, pushing away the thought. He stood still for a moment as the clearing erupted with shrieks of fury and splatters of blood across the stones.

"Kittypet!" Oakheart snapped, and for an awful heartbeat, Rusty thought his savior was about to turn on him and kill him, too. "Go to the river and wait there!" He scanned what he'd called 'Sunningrocks'. "Dawnbright!" he called, and the ginger-and-white she-cat that had tackled the tabby raised her head. She now had the tabby pinned, and he was struggling beneath her paws. "Leave that fish-heart. Take the kit across the river and warn Crookedstar of the battle."

Dawnbright hesitated before she clawed the tabby across the face and leaped away, running back towards Rusty. "Come on!" She ordered as she passed him. Rusty followed, his movements more forced than ever. When they were at the riverbank, Rusty gulped. "Come on," she repeated. "It's not that bad." Dawnbright glanced at him. "Well… you're definitely tired and probably don't know how to swim. I'll try and carry you across, but make sure you keep your head up."

She nudged him towards the river, and Rusty stepped into it, trembling. Dawnbright bent down and grasped his scruff in her jaws, and with a _huff_ , she lifted him just off the ground. Then, she padded in with ease, and before he knew it, Rusty was up to his jaws in water and Dawnbright was swimming strongly across the river. Rusty gasped as he was nearly submerged in water, and did his best to keep his head up. In a few moments, they had crossed, and Rusty was relieved to feel the soft earth beneath his paws again. He all but collapsed right then and there.

Dawnbright glanced over her shoulder, and Rusty followed her gaze. He watched as Oakheart and Thistlestar both reared and crashed into each other, locking their forelegs around each other's necks as they wrestled for dominance. Thistlestar overpowered him, slamming him into the ground. Nearby, a black kitten- about the same size as Graypaw, Rusty reckoned- hissed at one of the RiverClan warriors. Danwbright frowned, turning away. "They'll manage," she told him, but it sounded like she was comforting herself. "Come, if you're lucky, Crookedstar will let Mudfur treat your wounds."

Rusty gulped at the words ' _if you're lucky'_. What was the alternative? Would RiverClan kill him like ThunderClan had planned to?

Not far from the riverbank was a long reedbed, mingled with ferns. A gap between the reeds opened up before them. Dawnbright glanced at him. "Can you smell my clan?"

Rusty frowned before parting his jaws to taste the air. The smell of fish wavered in the air, along with cat-scent, though each trail smelled just like the next. His mouth watered at the smell of fresh fish- on occasion, his housefolk would give him some out of a tin can, and though salty and a bit metallic, it was a treat for sure. "I smell... cats. And fish."

"You look hungry," Dawnbright pointed out, twitching her tail. "I suppose being chased through the forest all day will do that to you." She led him through the reeds, into the opening. "Stick close to me," she meowed. "My clan will smell your kittypet scent the moment you walk in."

Rusty blinked, but followed. Could cats really be that perceptive?

Dawnbright pushed through the reeds, and in a heartbeat, they were standing in a wide clearing. RiverClan's camp was flat and sunny, and the earth looked soft and trodden. A number of cats were stretched out in the sun, dozing or grooming one another. Beyond, dens appeared to be constructed out of more reeds, cleverly pushed and woven together intricately. They almost looked like large birds' nests, in a way. Rusty noticed that a few of the dens had shiny objects and shells woven among them, which let the sun shine across them, scattering pretty lights across the clearing. It was almost surprising. Though he hadn't been sure what to expect, he wasn't expecting a tranquil clearing with calm, happy cats. _Smudge_ was _exaggerating… well, a little, maybe,_ he thought, flinching at the still painful memory of being flung to the ground by Thistlestar and clawed to shreds. His scratches were still stinging, even more so after being chased through the forest.

After hardly a moment, however, many of the cats raised their heads, and as they spotted him, they narrowed their eyes and muttered to one another. Rusty tried not to bristle nervously- he didn't want to appear hostile.

"This way," Dawnbright said, ignoring the stares. She led him to one of the smaller reed-dens, and called inside. "Crookedstar? I need to see you."

"Of course, Dawnbright. Come in." A deep voice replied, and they stepped inside. A huge, light brown tom was crouched over a half-eaten trout. Rusty's eyes widened as he saw the tom's twisted jaw. _How did that happen?_ he wondered.

The light tabby frowned. "Why did you bring a kittypet here?"

"Thistlestar and his cats attacked this kit," Dawnbright explained, nudging Rusty closer. "They clawed him and chased him all the way to Sunningrocks. Darkstripe had him pinned to the rocks when we found him. Oakheart wanted me to bring him to you."

Crookedstar looked Rusty up and down. "Hmm. You ran all this way to Sunningrocks? Impressive, for a kittypet, and a kit at that." His frown turned sympathetic as he noticed Rusty's scratches. "Take him to Mudfur," he ordered. "ThunderClan may have forgotten the code, but RiverClan will not turn away an injured kittypet." He gave Rusty a friendly blink, and the ginger tom was filled with relief. "What's your name, kittypet?"

"Rusty," he meowed. He quickly added, "Th-thank you. I thought they were going to kill me."

Crookedstar sighed. "They would have. You were lucky that Oakheart was there." He glanced at Dawnbright. "Are they fighting?" When she nodded, he sighed heavily again. "How many?"

Dawnbright frowned, thinking. "It was Thistlestar, Darkstripe, that tabby… Longtail, I think his name is, and a shrimpy little apprentice."

Crookedstar frowned again. "After you bring Rusty to Mudfur's den, bring Blackclaw and Skyheart and help chase them off. I will _not_ lose Sunningrocks to them."

"Understood," Dawnbright said, then nudged Rusty again. "Let's go." After they left the den, he was escorted across camp to another reed den. As they passed, a few cats hissed.

"Kittypet!"

"Why'd you bring _that_ here?"

"Don't waste Mudfur's herbs on a kittypet!"

Dawnbright ignored them. Rusty flattened his ears, but said nothing.

Inside this den, an older, thick-furred brown tom was sitting in the back, sorting dried leaves. "Hmm?" he looked over his shoulder before narrowing his eyes. "What's this?"

"ThunderClan hurt this kittypet kit," Dawnbright explained again. "Oakheart sent me with him back here. There'll probably be more wounds soon, since they're fighting."

Mudfur padded closer, sniffing at Rusty, who shrank back a little. "I don't bite," Mudfur chuckled. "I'll fix those scratches. Kittypet or not, I won't turn away a hurt kit."

"Goodbye, Rusty," Dawnbright meowed over her shoulder as she turned away. "I'll give someone a good scratch for you."

Rusty blinked in surprise. She actually sounded _friendly_.

Mudfur scraped together some moss into a rough nest. "You must be exhausted," he said, shuffling back to the herb pile. "Rest. You'll be safe here for tonight, at least."

Rusty was suddenly aware again of how overwhelmingly tired he was. Not to mention, he was still wet from the river, and shivering.

"Lick your fur the wrong way," Mudfur instructed. "I'll help in a moment."

Rusty mumbled a thanks before stepping into and curling up in his nest. It wasn't the cloth-and-wool bed he had in his house, but it was still surprisingly comfortable. He tiredly lapped at his pelt, though he found it was difficult to lick his fur back on his own. True to his word, Mudfur soon turned and began to groom Rusty's pelt for him. It didn't take long for the soothing grooming to lull him to sleep.


	5. Chapter 3

Actually, on second thought, Snowbird, Ratscar, and Applefur aren't apprentices. Brokenstar named his warriors at five moons.

* * *

" _Oakheart is dead!_ "

Rusty was suddenly awoken by the desperate wail. He blinked, raising his head quickly. For a moment, he forgot where he was, until everything came flooding back. _Thistlestar attacked me, and I ended up here. RiverClan saved me_.

Then what he had heard hit him like a stone. _Dead?_ Rusty's eyes widened with horror. Had Thistlestar murdered Oakheart?

With a glance, he could see that Mudfur was not in his den. Rusty rose, and blinked as he noticed sticky-white webs stuck to his leg, where he'd been scratched. Sniffing at it, it smelled like the herbs in the den. _Mudfur must've put there_.

Rusty padded from the den, slowly, hoping not to attract attention to himself. It was well-past nightfall- moonhigh, perhaps- but many warriors were still awake.

Crookedstar emerged from his den. "What?" he demanded. "Oakheart can't be dead!"

A smoky-black tom and pale brown tabby she-cat were dragging a limp body behind the rest of their small group. Gasps of horror rose from the clan.

"Who did this?" Crookedstar demanded, rage creeping into his voice. " _Who_?!"

"No one," Dawnbright murmured, head low. "Well, Darkstripe chased him under a rock, and they started fighting… I think they jostled smaller rocks that were supporting it. But Oakheart pushed Darkstripe out, and before he could get out from under it…" She swallowed. "He was crushed by it. That's why it took us so long to get back- we were digging him out."

A young silver tabby pressed herself to Crookedstar's side, murmuring quietly in his ear. A sob shook Crookedstar's body before he ordered, "Bring him to the center of camp. We'll share tongues and bury him in the morning."

"Oakheart was Crookedstar's brother and closest friend." Mudfur was suddenly at Rusty's side, and the young tom jumped in surprise. "That she-cat is Silverstream, Crookedstar's daughter."

Rusty felt a wave of sympathy for Crookedstar, and he was saddened himself. _I never got to thank him for saving my life._ He watched as the two cats carrying his body pulled him into the center of the clearing and laid him there gently. One by one, cats came forward, pushing their muzzles into Oakheart's fur and murmuring before turning away. "What are they doing?" he whispered to Mudfur.

"They are mourning," Mudfur explained, his voice thick with emotion. "It's how we say farewell before Oakheart's spirit travels to StarClan. After each cat takes their turn, those closest to him will stay the rest of the night beside him, sharing tongues for the last time before he is buried."

 _StarClan?_ Rusty wondered what that was, but felt it would be inappropriate to nag Mudfur anymore. After a moment, he tentatively asked, "Can… can I go up?"

Mudfur glanced at him oddly. "Why ever would you?"

Rusty looked at his paws. _Did I say the wrong thing?_ "I just- I wanted to thank him. If he hadn't stopped Thistlestar, they would've killed me."

"That's very kind of you," Mudfur murmured, though he sounded a little surprised. "But I think you should wait until everyone else has gone before you do. They won't take well to it."

Rusty nodded. _I owe Oakheart thanks_ , he thought. _He died after saving me._

He waited patiently as each cat padded forward to say goodbye, and Mudfur left him for a moment to press his muzzle to Oakheart's side. When he returned, he sat beside Rusty quietly. After each cat had gone, Mudfur nodded to him. "Go on. Don't let them think you are afraid."

Rusty gulped and nodded before standing and padding closely. A few cats hissed, but none moved to stop him until he was nearly to Oakheart. The black tom stepped in front of him. "What do you think _you're_ doing?" he hissed.

"I wanted to thank him," Rusty mumbled, before recalling Mudfur's words. He raised his head, looking the tom in the eye. "Let me through, please. He saved my life."

The tom blinked, surprised, but didn't move.

"Let him pass, Blackclaw," Crookedstar rasped. He was sitting near Oakheart's body, Silverstream still at his side.

Blackclaw scowled before stepping away. Rusty padded closer, staring down at the dead bracken-colored tom. Oakheart's ribcage looked like it had collapsed, and his spine was bent at an odd angle. _What a horrible way to die_. He crouched low beside Oakheart, and realized the camp had fallen silent as each cat stared at him, watching his every move. "Thank you," he murmured. "You saved my life. I'm sorry I can't repay that to you." He touched his nose to Oakheart's side before quickly backing away.

The accusing glares and angry mutters seemed to fade as Rusty backed away. _Maybe I did do the right thing,_ Rusty thought hopefully. He returned to Mudfur's side, who gave him an approving nod.

Crookedstar pressed his muzzle to his brother's pelt for a few long moments. Then, he raised his head, gazing solemnly around his clan. "Because it is already moonhigh, I must name RiverClan's deputy immediately." He paused, appearing to be thinking. "I say these words before the spirit of Oakheart, and hope that he approves of my choice. Leopardfur will be RiverClan's next deputy."

A dappled golden she-cat blinked and raised her head, before rising and padding forward. Rusty studied her curiously. _Deputy? Is that like… the second to the leader?_ Leopardfur seemed cool and composed as she padded towards Crookedstar. She then dipped her head. "Thank you," she said. "I am honored."

The clan, despite their grieving, threw back their heads and yowled their congratulations. "Leopardfur! Leopardfur!"

Mudfur raised his head proudly, yowling as loudly as he could. Rusty blinked, but again felt that it may be inappropriate for him to call her name with them. As the cheering died away, Mudfur licked his chest fur, ears red. "That's my daughter," he purred. "She used to be afraid of water, and now look at her!"

Crookedstar stared down at the body of his brother before looking up again. "There is one more thing I wish to do." he fixed his gaze upon Rusty, who stiffened. Was Crookedstar going to change his mind and kill him? "Rusty," he said. "Please come forward."

Rusty blinked, but rose again and padded towards the tom. "Y-yes?"

"I would like to invite you to join our clan," Crookedstar meowed. Instantly, RiverClan was yowling in surprise and protest. He lashed his tail. "Silence! Oakheart saved this kit before he died. Will you disrespect him before he has even been buried?"

Many clan cats frowned or stared at their paws guiltily.

"Now," Crookedstar went on. "This kittypet, despite his origins, shows promise. He escaped Thistlestar's claws and fled through the forest, a great feat for a cat his age that has been raised lazily." Rusty bristled slightly at the words before he realized there was no malice behind them. Glancing around, he could see a few cats nodding in understanding, though others muttered unhappily. "He then crossed the river with Dawnbright- something few outsiders would willingly do."

"He wasn't too afraid, either," Dawnbright piped up. "I mean- he was scared, but he didn't argue."

Crookedstar nodded at her, and Rusty felt grateful for her defending him. Crookedstar looked back to Rusty. "Rusty," he asked. "Will you accept? You must understand, training will not be easy, especially since you have not had the conditioning our kits have had. You have not swam in the river before today. You've never hunted for your clanmates or said thanks to StarClan. If you are a part of RiverClan, you must work to make these all a part of your life. Will you join RiverClan?"

Rusty was silent for a long moment. _What do I say? I don't know anything about this life._ For a heartbeat, he considered refusing, but he then realized that wasn't what he wanted. _If I go home… if I even_ manage _to get home… I'll never be satisfied._ He thought of his dreams, the itch in his claws and pull in his paws that led him to the forest in the first place. He didn't want to be fat and lazy like Henry.

"Though the training will be hard, the rewards are great," Crookedstar added, when Rusty had not spoken. "You will remain a tom, unaltered by the Cutter. You will have the loyalty of your clanmates by your side, should you earn it. You will know _true_ honor and pride as a warrior, if you make it through training."

"The Cutter?" Rusty echoed.

"You've seen lazy kittypets, no doubt?" Crookedstar asked. "When toms- and she-cats, too, I hear- are old enough, twolegs take them to the Cutter, and they are never the same. They can no longer bear kits, but they also lose any drive or motivation. They sit in the sun and care little for anything but eating and sleeping. That is your future if you return to the Twolegplace."

 _The vet,_ Rusty realized. _That's when Henry changed!_ Though he had already made up his mind, he was certain now. "I-"

"This is ridiculous!" a white tom interrupted, growling. "You can't be serious! Look at that thing around his neck! That fish-brained bell will alert our enemies and bring twolegs here, even if your retched _stench_ doesn't first!"

Rusty flinched at the unexpected hostility. The white tom was now standing, sneering at Rusty. "You will just eat twice your share and work half as hard as anyone else! We all know kittypets, altered or not, they're _useless_!"

Rusty flinched again, and then was aware of Dawnbright at his side. "Whiteclaw smells your fear," she hissed. "Are you going to back down from a challenge?"

Rusty narrowed his eyes. Whiteclaw was now turning to address the clanmates behind him. "Are _you_ going to let this happen?"

"Are you going to give up so easily?" Dawnbright hissed.

Rusty bunched up his muscles and sprang, clearing Oakheart's body and colliding directly with Whiteclaw. Having his back turned, the tom hadn't been expecting the attack, and fell, screeching. The two toms wrestled, rolling across the clearing as they clawed and bit, fighting for dominance. Cats jumped back to avoid the fighting toms.

Rusty felt his claws year satisfyingly through one of Whiteclaw's ears, and the bigger tom backed away for a moment, shaking his head. Then, eyes filled with fury, he leaped forward and snatched Rusty's collar in his jaws. The young tom felt a horrible jerk, and suddenly, there was intense pressure against his throat. Rusty squirmed and pushed, desperate for air, before pulling back in one strong jerk and-

 _Snap!_

Both cats tumbled back as Rusty's collar ripped apart, and dangled limply from Whiteclaw's jaws.

"Stop!" Crookedstar finally yowled. "StarClan has spoken its approval! Rusty has lost his collar in a fight for his honor."

Whiteclaw glared at Rusty as the younger cat stood. The white tom spat out the collar, ear still bleeding.

Rusty turned back to Crookedstar, now full of determination. "I want to join RiverClan."

Crookedstar nodded. "From now on, your kittypet life is no more. I name this young cat Firepaw, in honor of his bright orange pelt, and the fiery determination that led him to survive today."

Firepaw was pleasantly surprised by the number of cats who cheered for him. It seemed that his fight had won most of them over- only a few, including Whiteclaw, glared silently.

As the cheers died away, Crookedstar went on. "Dawnbright, you will be mentor to Firepaw. Though you've not had an apprentice yet, you've proved yourself to a capable warrior, and I trust you will pass along all you know to him."

The ginger-and-white she-cat padded up to Firepaw. "Touch noses with me," she whispered. "It's custom."

He obliged, and as they touched noses, there were a few more congratulatory calls.

"Tonight, you will sleep in Mudfur's den, since it is late and you already have a nest," Croonedstar decided. "In the morning I'll have someone show you around camp. The clan is dismissed."

As Firepaw padded towards Mudfur's den, a few cats called to him on their way to their dens.

"Hey, Firepaw!"

"Good name, that!"

"Great fight, too!"

Firepaw purred proudly, murmuring his thanks before retreating to the den. As he settled back in his den, he felt oddly comforted. _I'm_ Firepaw _now,_ he thought, closing his eyes. _I'll miss Smudge, and everyone else back home, but this is my life now._ With a small smile, he thought, _I wonder what Graypaw or Thistlestar would think of me now._


	6. Chapter 4

**Guest: Saying "UPDATE ALREADY" isn't going to make me update faster. If anything, it's actually frustrating.**

* * *

 _Rusty padded through the forest silently_. His ears were trained for any sounds, and his jaws were parted in the slightest, tasting the air. He sensed a mouse was nearby.

He narrowed his eyes- there it was, just a bit ahead, nibbling on an acorn. This time, he wouldn't let it escape. Rusty dropped down into a low crouch, took a cautious step forward, and-

"Hey there!"

Rusty was jolted awake by a loud, cheery voice. Again, he felt confused for a moment, until he saw the young brown tom in front of him, smelling distinctly like fish. _I'm Firepaw now,_ the ginger tom reminded himself. And with a small rush of pride, he added, _I'm a RiverClan apprentice._

The small brown tabby blinked. "Hello? Earth to Firepaw? You in there?"

Firepaw blinked. "Er- sorry. Who are you?"

"I'm Grasspaw!" He informed him cheerfully. "Mudfur went out to gather herbs, and Crookedstar wanted me to escort you around before Danwbright took you out for training." Grasspaw swept his tail around the den. "As you know, this is Mudfur's den. He's our medicine cat, which means he treats our wounds and illnesses- oh, and he checks up on the queens and kits, too."

Firepaw sat up in his nest, nodding a little. All the herbs made more sense now. "Is he the only one?" he asked.

Grasspaw bobbed his head. "Yup. There used to be Brambleberry, too, but she was super old and passed away a few moons ago. Everyone was pretty sad. She was nice." He blinked suddenly. "Oh! I should ask you first if you have any questions. Do you?"

Firepaw felt a little overwhelmed by the energetic tom, but he felt that he liked him, too. "Hmm… Oh. I keep hearing about 'StarClan'. I ran into a cat named Graypaw yesterday who told me there were four clans… is that another one?"

"Oh, yes!" Grasspaw nodded. "Glad you asked. StarClan is where our ancestors live, up in the sky. You see them in Silverpelt every night. It's that thick band of stars that stretches across the sky. Each star is one of our warrior ancestors, and they watch over us every day. Oakheart is with them now, and he'll have a star of his own tonight."

The thought of StarClan actually sounded… nice. Firepaw had occasionally wondered where cats went when they died- it was a little comforting to think that there _was_ somewhere for him after all. _Hopefully Oakheart is at peace._

"Come on!" Grasspaw chirped. "I've got lots to show you." He padded out of Mudfur's den, and Firepaw had no choice but to follow.

Outside, Grasspaw led to him to the nearest den. "This is the nursery," he explained, standing in front of the entrance. Inside, a single dark ginger-and-white she-cat was grooming herself. She blinked and glanced up, exposing her large, heavy belly. "That's Mallowtail! She's Dawnbright's sister. There's no other queens or kits right now, but there should be soon."

"Any day now, I hope," Mallowtail sighed, looking tired. "I can hardly walk to the fresh-kill pile with these kits in my belly!" She gave Firepaw a friendly blink. "Good luck with your training. And nice job giving Whiteclaw a good scratch. I love him, but he can be badger-headed at times. He's got a good heart, deep down."

Firepaw had a hard time believing that, but he dipped his head gratefully anyway. "Thank you," he purred. Quickly, he added, "Good luck with your kits, when they come."

"I like this one," Mallowtail decided. "He's got manners, unlike you!"

"Hey!" Grasspaw protested, pretending to look hurt. "I'm polite!"

"Please!" Mallowtail purred. "You're about as polite as a fox!"

Grasspaw rolled his eyes and turned away. "I'll show you the apprentice den next- that's where we sleep." They headed across camp, to a wider den. From inside, low voices could be heard as cats chatted.

Grasspaw and Firepaw both stuck their heads in. "This is Firepaw!" Grasspaw introduced. "Be nice to him!"

"We know," A pretty, long-furred black she-cat muttered, eyes rolling.

"The dumb kittypet," a silver tom spat. "I'll pass on being sweet."

A tortoiseshell she-cat cuffed him over the ears. "Ignore my stuck-up brother, here. He's Silverpaw, and he's all bark and no bite. I'm Mosspaw." she smiled at him. "That's Vixenpaw," she said, nodding at the black she-cat. "Heavypaw is the big lump that's still asleep-" She flicked her tail at a large brown tom in the back of the den, who was still fast asleep. "-And my sister, Shadepaw, is already out training."

"Um, hi," Firepaw mumbled, a little overwhelmed.

The silver tom snorted. "So composed, isn't he?" he glared at Firepaw. "Shouldn't you be napping, kittypet?"

"Oh, shut up," Mosspaw growled, shoving him playfully. "You're just mad because you bet me three days of dawn patrols that Whiteclaw was going to strangle him to death."

Silverpaw let out a growl, but said nothing else.

Firepaw wasn't exactly sure how to feel about his new denmates betting on his death.

"Vixenpaw!" Grasspaw called. "Come help me show Firepaw the rest of the camp."

Vixenpaw licked a paw and drew it over her ears. "Pass."

"I'll tell Blackclaw _you_ put fire ants in his nest!" Grasspaw teased. "Ooh, or I'll tell Shadepaw about how you-"

"You wouldn't _dare_!" Vixenpaw screeched. "Fine, I'll come on your stupid tour, you frog-brained nuisance!"

Grasspaw laughed good-naturedly. "She loves me," he happily informed a doubtful Firepaw.

"Tell Shadepaw what?" Mosspaw begged, eyes wide with interest.

"Shut _up_!" Vixenpaw shouted, ears red with embarrassment before she flattened them. "Let's go, already!"

Grasspaw and Firepaw retreated from the den, followed by Vixenpaw, who was muttering dubiously. As they headed towards the elder's den, Firepaw's belly twisted with hunger, but he tried to squash the feeling. He realized he hadn't eaten _at all_ yesterday, but he didn't want to be mocked for being a greedy kittypet on his first morning in the clan.

The elder's den was in a deep hole beneath a willow tree. Inside, a thin gray she-cat was eating a fat trout. She twitched her whiskers as they entered. "Welcome," she rasped. She nodded at Firepaw. "You're the kittypet apprentice."

"I'm not a kittypet anymore," Firepaw replied, but tried not to sound annoyed. The she-cat was clearly tired and old, and deserved his respect.

"Well said," the gray she-cat purred. "I'm Graypool."

"You'd be surprised to know she's _younger_ than Crookedstar!" Grasspaw whispered, and Graypool's ear twitched.

"His nine lives gives him strength," she chided, giving Grasspaw a hard stare. "I've had my share of illnesses."

 _Some cats just age faster,_ Firepaw thought. He'd known a cat who had lived for countless seasons- Pine- but he seemed young and spry as ever, while some old cats who were younger still were much more tired and grizzled.

"Normally, the elders and queens have to be fed before any apprentices can eat," Vixenpaw explained, surprising Firepaw. _I almost thought she was just going to stand and be silent_. "But since there's just Graypool and Mallowtail, we just take turns doing it."

"It is part of the warrior code to care for elders, queens, and kits," Graypool added. "You'll need to learn and value the code if you hope to stay here."

"I'll do my best," Firepaw mumbled. Graypool smiled and nodded.

"Let's go," Grasspaw purred. "When it's your turn to feed her, you can ask her to tell stories." He twitched his whiskers in farewell before turning away. "I'll show you the warriors' den next, but we won't be going in!"

The warriors den was also a tangle of reeds, but a hollow had been dug out so as to make it deeper. The reeds seemed to open up into a hollowed out cave, and it looked quite cosy. A few older cats were passing in and out, often to draw others out with them before heading out of camp. "They're getting ready to go on hunting and border patrols," he explained. "Most of them will probably be fishing."

Firepaw recognized Whiteclaw, Blackclaw, and Leopardfur heading out of the den. Whiteclaw glanced at him and spat, "Kittypet!" Blackclaw glared, but Leopardfur twitched her ear as though she hadn't noticed.

"Oh, stick a frog in it, Whiteclaw," a golden she-cat said, padding out of the den and rolling her eyes.

"That's Vixenpaw and I's mother," Grasspaw purred. "Her name is Sunfish."

Sunfish glanced over and purred at the trio of apprentices. "Morning! Showing Firepaw around camp?"

"Yep!" Grasspaw nodded. "This was the last stop before the fresh-kill pile. You've got to be starving, right?" He asked Firepaw, who nodded gratefully.

"Well, you'd better get on with it," Sunfish meowed. "Your mentors will be looking for you soon."

The three headed towards the fresh-kill pile, just in time to see Silverpaw and Heavypaw each picking a fish. Silverpaw hissed and bumped into Firepaw as he snatched up one and padded towards the nursery.

"Silverpaw sure hates you," Vixenpaw snickered. "It's his turn to feed Mallowtail and Graypool, but it looks like someone beat him to Graypool already."

Firepaw watched him go, frowning. "Hopefully he won't start trouble. I don't want to get into another fight like last night."

"Like Mosspaw said," Grasspaw snorted. "All bark and no bite." He plucked a small trout from the pile and dropped it at Firepaw's paws. "Go on, eat."

Firepaw's purred gratefully, and took a large bite. He blinked as he chewed the soft, tender fish. It was so juicy, and full of flavor! This was _nothing_ like the shredded white fish in a tin can. His mouth watered as he swallowed, and quickly took another bite.

"He likes it," Vixenpaw laughed. "Most outsiders don't."

"Really?" Firepaw's mumbled around a mouthful of trout. "It's great!" _How can't they? It's incredible!_

"Mudfur says the fish is what makes us so sleek," Grasspaw said, picking two minnows for himself. "Something about the oils in it, I dunno. Soon you'll be sleek and shiny like us!"

Firepaw looked up from his meal to see Dawnbright and two other warriors padding back into camp. Dawnbright carried a large squirrel, white the other two each had a few small fish. Dawnbright added the squirrel to a separate pile beside the fish pile, one that had a few other squirrels, as well as some little furry rodents that looked a lot like mice.

"Looks like Firepaw likes fish," Dawnbright meowed as she padded towards the apprentices. "Vixenpaw, go get the other apprentices. We're going to be doing battle practice today."

Grasspaw tilted his head. "Shouldn't we show Firepaw the territory?"

Dawnbright shook her head. "No, he spent all of yesterday racing through ThunderClan. I want Firepaw to watch and learn. He'll try a few easy moves, but he's going to take it slow for a couple of days.

"Sounds like you're soft on him because he's a kittypet!" One of the toms sneered. "Don't think he can handle clan training?"

Firepaw bristled, but Dawnbright rolled her eyes and snapped back, "I don't think _you_ would want to go racing around the forest for an entire day, wake up with sore muscles, and then trek all of RiverClan territory the next morning, Beetlenose."

Beetlenose snorted, but whisked his tail and padded away.

"That's my father," Grasspaw added with a frown. "He's not usually so…"

"Prickly?" Dawnbright suggested. "Hot-headed, and a touch egocentric? Your father is _always_ like that." She twitched her whiskers at her apprentice. "Finish that fish and meet me by the camp entrance."

Firepaw and Grasspaw quickly gulped down their meals as Vixenpaw returned with Mosspaw and a tired-looking Heavypaw in tow. As Silverpaw left the nursery, Vixenpaw called him over. After a minute, they headed to the camp entrance, and departed with their mentors.

* * *

"Come on, Shadepaw, knock her off balance!" Beetlenose ordered.

"Step it up, Vixenpaw! You can do better than that, quit going easy on her!" A gray tom named Voleclaw called, frowning.

Firepaw watched, sitting beside Mosspaw, as Vixenpaw and Shadepaw fought. Shadepaw, who was quite snappy, though not so much as Silverpaw, was currently batting at Vixenpaw's face.

"Vixenpaw, throw her off her paws!" Voleclaw shouted, clearly growing more exasperated.

Vixenpaw just batted at Shadepaw half-heartedly until the dark gray she-cat slammed into Vixenpaw's side, knocking her to the ground and pinning her there in one swift move. "Didn't sleep well enough or something?" Shadepaw grinned, and Vixenpaw stared quietly back at her. "You're off your game today!" Shadepaw hopped off and padded back to sit on Mosspaw's other side.

Voleclaw sighed. "Vixenpaw… I don't know what to say. You're going to fight Silverpaw, because I need to see some _major_ improvement _right now._ "

Vixenpaw nodded quietly as Silverpaw stepped into the clearing. The training area was a small clearing, marked by a few beech trees that grew around it. The earth was soft and well-worn- Firepaw could see paw prints everywhere. Some were quite old and nearly faded away, while others were from the fights this morning.

Loudbelly took Beetlenose's place at the side of the clearing, closer to the training apprentices. "Ready… begin!"

Firepaw was surprised when Vixenpaw immediately charged at Silverpaw. He sidestepped, but the she-cat had been prepared- she twisted sharply and rammed her shoulder into his, sending him reeling back. Vixenpaw turned again, pouncing, and landed on Silverpaw's back. She was _just_ larger than him, and the silver tom screeched and overbalanced. Vixenpaw neatly landed on her paws before rearing up, then slamming her paws down sharply on Silverpaw's chest, winding him. Finally, she placed a paw at his throat. Giving her mentor a sharp look, she hissed, "I win."

 _That was…_ Firepaw didn't know what to think. In her last battle, Vixenpaw had all but rolled over onto her back and surrendered. She'd taken Shadepaw's blows and hardly returned any. _Was she trying to trick Silverpaw or something? I don't get it. She's clearly good at fighting._

"Nice one!" Shadepaw called, chuckling at her brother's furious expression as he stood and shook himself. "Silverpaw _was_ looking a little too full of himself today!"

Vixenpaw grinned and moved to sit beside her brother on the opposite side of the clearing.

"That was great!" Voleclaw exclaimed, clearly surprised. "I don't know how you turned it around that quickly, but well-done."

Dawnbright nudged Firepaw. "I want you to spar with Heavypaw." She fixed the stocky brown apprentice with a look. "Don't go too hard on him."

"Okay." Firepaw nodded in determination. But, as they stepped into the center of the clearing, he gulped. Heavypaw was named _Heavy_ paw for a reason. He was very bulky, and it looked like it would hurt a lot if he even just sat on Firepaw.

"Whenever you're ready," Dawnbright called, twitching her whiskers. Firepaw gave her a glance. _Is she rooting for me, or secretly hoping Heavypaw crushes-_

The distraction cost him.

 _WHAM!_

Firepaw felt the wind get knocked out of him as Heavypaw rammed into him, head smashing right into Firepaw's smaller chest. The ginger tom was sent flying back before he crashed to the ground and rolled once, groaning.

"Keep your eyes on your opponent, kittypet!" Blackclaw jeered.

"Come on, Firepaw!" Grasspaw called. "You can do it!"

Growling, Firepaw rolled back onto his paws just in time to duck a hefty swipe from his opponent. He wasn't sure what spurred him on more- Grasspaw's encouragement, or Blackclaw's jab. Twisting, he managed to swipe at Heavypaw's side, which he proudly knew would have done real damage had his claws been unsheathed.

Then Firepaw yowled in pain as he felt teeth in his tail. Fur bushing up madly, he tried to whirl around, only to tug his only tail harder in Heavypaw's clenched jaws. Releasing his tail, Heavypaw quickly reared up and slammed his paws down on Firepaw's back, crushing the smaller apprentice beneath him. Firepaw felt a jolt of pain as his jaws snapped together sharply from the force, before his chin clipped the ground. The ginger tom struggled, but to no avail- the larger tom had him completely pinned.

"I think the winner is obvious," Blackclaw sneered. " _Great_ work, Heavypaw." Whisking his tail, he added, "I think the rest of the apprentices ought to go hunting, while _he_ stays here and works on that lazy form."

Dawnbright growled at the smoky tom, but didn't argue. None of the other mentors complained as they gathered up their apprentices and departed- but Grasspaw and Mosspaw each shot him sympathetic glances.

Firepaw stood up, shaking his coat. He could still feel it where Heavypaw had crushed him, and the soreness of his muscles didn't help.

Dawnbright sighed. "I'm sorry about that. I shouldn't have just thrown you in like that. But, you _did_ do well to dodge that second blow and counterattack." She frowned, thinking for a moment. "I think we'll practice the hunting crouch for a while instead. It's less strenuous, so you won't be abusing your muscles as much."

Firepaw nodded, but couldn't help but feel disappointed. Was his own mentor so unimpressed that she didn't think he could handle training after all?


	7. Chapter 5

**Guest: I'm serious. I have a life outside of updating and writing. I get that you like it, and I do really appreciate that, but it's not helping me write any faster.**

* * *

The next morning, when Firepaw's muscles were a little less stiff, he and Dawnbright set out to tour the entirety of RiverClan's territory.

"...The river, as you know, flows along our border." They were standing along the riverbank, staring out at Sunningrocks across. Firepaw couldn't help but shiver a little at the memory of how he had nearly died there. Dawnbright twitched her tail as she went on. "Many, many generations ago, the river flowed _around_ Sunningrocks, so that it was on our side of the territory. However, massive flooding changed the course of the river, and now Sunningrocks is on the ThunderClan side of the border. For as long as any of us can remember, we've been fighting over the rights to it." The ginger-and-white she-cat frowned. "Honestly, I don't think you or I will live to see the day the conflict ends. As a warrior, you're certain to fight battles- and most of them will probably be right there, defending the ancient honor of RiverClan."

Firepaw felt a thrill of excitement as he listened. _A warrior…_ the possibility seemed so far away.

"Some day, soon, you'll know how to swim this very river," Dawnbright continued. "But we won't begin that training for another few days, I think, and I'll start you off in the shallows."

"Is it…" Firepaw swallowed, staring at the rushing water. "...Dangerous?"

"Not for us," Dawnbright meowed briskly. "As a RiverClan cat, you'll know how to swim through the strongest currents, dive to the bottom of the river, and traverse the water." She gave him a reassuring smile. "Many fear the water because they do not know it. RiverClan is the strongest clan in the forest because we do _not_ fear the water. We love and respect it. Yes, the river carries its dangers, but only to those who can't withstand it." Dawnbright finally turned to pad upstream. "Come, it's time we moved on."

The pair travelled on up the river for some time, and Firepaw admired RiverClan's territory- _his_ territory- as Dawnbright pointed out choice hunting spots or simply quiet, secluded locations. Though there weren't many trees, those that stood were beautiful and not cramped together, as they had been in the forest. Smooth beech trees stood tall and proud, while elegant willows cast shade over parts of the river.

"Up ahead, there's a twoleg bridge," Dawnbright explained. "Just before it, twolegs sometimes stay. They set up odd pelt dens and hunt for fish in Greenleaf. Usually, they don't cause too much trouble, but we try to stay away from them." She veered away from the river, heading north, where the peaks of Highstones could be seen in the far distance. Out this way, there was the beginnings of a moor, covered in bright wild flowers. As they travelled, a few huge brown creatures could be spotted grazing.

"What are those?" Firepaw whispered, staring at the creatures oddly.

"Don't worry, they're just horses," Dawnbright explained passively. "They usually just graze here. The twolegs sometimes bring sheep here, which are about half a horse's size and look like clouds." She twitched her whiskers in amusement at Firepaw's nervousness. "Don't worry, they're peaceful creatures. You could probably take a nap under them and they wouldn't mind. If you do ever get close to them, though, move _slowly_ , because if they get spooked, they'll buck and could trample you easily."

Firepaw nodded, but still eyed the tall horses suspiciously as they went on. Dawnbright eventually flicked her tail to their right, where green-pelt shelters were set up near a large stone bridge, and noted that that was the twoleg site and bridge. Soon they headed back towards the river, where it was now much farther below them.

"This is the gorge," Dawnbright explained. "Step forward, _carefully_. Apprentices are never allowed near it except for when it's shown to them."

Firepaw came forward cautiously, then peered over the end. His stomach surged in the slightest as he saw the swirling white water.

"The river is deadly here," She cautioned him. "But, it keeps WindClan from invading. All land on that side of the river is theirs."

Firepaw gazed out across the gorge. Across the river, there was a wide moorland that was just slightly uphill.

"In fact," Dawnbright added, "Here comes WindClan."

Firepaw narrowed his eyes, confused, until he saw three tall, lithe cats streaking after a rabbit down the hillside. He was amazed by their speed- he'd never seen cats moving so quickly. One tom, a young brown tabby, overtook his patrol and caught up to the rabbit before leaping, pouncing, and killing it.

"Don't try what they do," Dawnbright purred. "Few cats outside of WindClan could ever catch up to a rabbit like that."

The brown tabby proudly picked up his hare as his patrol caught up to them. The three warriors spotted the pair and waved their tails in greeting before approaching the gorge. When they were within speaking distance, a brown and gray she-cat gave them a friendly meow. "Hello, Dawnbright," she called. "Who's that? New apprentice?"

"That's Sorrelleap," Dawnbright murmured to Firepaw. "WindClan is friendly enough to us because we rarely cause trouble for each other." She looked back up at the she-cat and nodded. "This is Firepaw."

The brown tabby who had caught the rabbit dropped his catch and nodded to them. "How's the prey running- or swimming?"

"Fine enough," Dawnbright purred. Her eyes travelled to the dead rabbit. "Yours runs too fast for my liking."

The WindClan warriors chuckled good-naturally. "Well, we're just going to mark the borders and be off," Sorrelleap said, twitching her whiskers. "Good luck with training, Firepaw!" The WindClan cats turned and headed downstream.

"Thanks!" Firepaw called after her, smiling. _Well, at least not everyone is as heartless as ThunderClan._

"Let's get going," Dawnbright decided, turning away from the gorge. "There's still more yet to see."

* * *

Firepaw sat silently on the soft, damp earth of the riverbank. He was poised, perfectly still, a single paw just slightly raised off the ground. The river rushed on, and he could see large fish swimming downstream, farther into the current. He could wait.

Finally, a silver minnow swam closer, the sun dancing off its shimmering scales. Firepaw narrowed his eyes before he struck, swift as a snake, and scooped the fish out of the water. It flipped through the air and landed on the ground, flopping in determination to return to the water. Firepaw quickly spun around and slammed a paw on it before killing it with a small, sharp bite.

"Well-done!" Dawnbright purred, padding towards her apprentice from where she had been waiting and watching. It had been four days since she had shown Firepaw the territory, and this was his first catch. He felt a rush of pride as he glanced down at the dead minnow. However small it may be, every bite counted, now that Mallowtail's little kits had been born. He grinned as he looked up at his mentor. _I'm a_ real _RiverClan apprentice now._ Every time he had eaten, he had felt a pang of guilt for not being able to contribute anything in return.

"You'll be swimming in and catching carp and trout like it's second nature before you know it!" She chuckled, flicking him with his tail.

By sun-down, Firepaw had managed to catch four more minnows, and though he was stiff from having to sit so long, he was utterly proud of his improvement. He carried his catches into camp, head and tail raised high. Before they parted ways, his mentor gave him another approving smile. Firepaw was glad that she was his mentor- she was patient and encouraging, but also allowed him to prove himself rather than assume he couldn't do anything. He nearly shuddered as he tried to imagine what it would be like to have Whiteclaw or Beetlenose as his mentor.

Firepaw dropped his catches on the pile, before thinking and grabbing three of them again. _I should bring these to Mallowtail. I haven't seen her kits yet!_ He turned and padded towards the nursery, before a growl stopped him.

"Taking all that for yourself, kittypet?" Silverpaw hissed from his left, where he was crouched over a vole.

"Actually," Firepaw muttered around the minnows. "I caught these, and I'm bringing them all to Mallowtail." He ignored Silverpaw's glare as he flicked his tail and continued into the nursery.

Mallowtail was curled up around her kits, who were suckling noisily at her belly. She raised her head as he entered, and he was glad to see Whiteclaw, her mate, was nowhere to be seen. "Hello, Firepaw," she purred.

He dropped the minnows at her paws. "I brought these for you," he meowed.

Her eyes lit up at the fresh-kill. "Thanks!" she said. "I'm starved, and eating for five will do that to you."

Firepaw's ears pricked. "Four kits?" he asked. "How are they?"

Mallowtail swept her tail way from her belly, and Firepaw could now completely see the four little bundles. One was a perfect picture of her mother; white with dark ginger tabby patches. The second was the largest, a dark brown tabby, while the third was black up to her tail-tip, which was snow-white. The final one was the runt of the litter, a tiny tortoiseshell-and-white kit.

Mallowtail touched a paw to the first ginger-and-white kit. "Her name is Sparrowkit," she purred, before moving onto the black she-kit. "Duskkit." She swept her tail across the brown tabby. "Cedarkit." She stared at the tiny tortie, smiling tiredly. "Mudfur said he was the surprise of the litter. His name is Stormkit."

"He?" Firepaw stared at the tortoiseshell is surprise. "Aren't all tortoiseshells she-cats?"

Mallowtail shook her head. "Mudfur said they're very rare, but they are possible. It's even rarer for them to be able to have kits. There's a tom- Redtail- in ThunderClan, and he has a daughter." She frowned a little. "Mudfur doesn't know if there's a way to _know_ if they can, but that's alright." Mallowtail purred quietly again. "There's no use worrying about something like that."

There was a rustle as another cat entered the nursery and hissed. Firepaw nearly groaned as he heard Whiteclaw hiss, "What's _he_ doing here?"

"Bringing me food, Whiteclaw," Mallowtail replied, tone a bit short as she looked up her mate. "It wouldn't hurt to be polite, or at the least _not_ spit insults at him every time you cross paths."

"I don't want to talk about this right now," Whiteclaw growled, glaring at Firepaw. If looks could kill, Firepaw would be seeing StarClan right now. "Get _out_ , kittypet."

"Whatever," Firepaw hissed before turning around and padding out.

He headed back towards the fresh-kill pile as he felt a pang of hunger. Firepaw hooked a small, fat carp off the pile and dragged it a few fox-lengths away from the pile. He glared down it, all the anger from the jeering insults he received daily flooding back to him. Firepaw curled his claws into the fish, wishing for a heartbeat he could do the same to Whiteclaw, or Beetlenose, or Silverpaw, or Blackclaw, or _anyone_ who was cruel to him.

Then he shook his head, frowning as he pulled his claws out. _No… I don't want that._ Firepaw didn't _really_ want to hurt his clanmates, he just wanted them to _shut up_ once in awhile. He narrowed his eyes in determination as he saw Beetlenose across camp, sharing tongues with Sunfish. _I'll prove them all wrong. I'll get stronger, I'll become a better hunter. I'll be the best warrior they've ever seen! Then they'll see I'm not a useless kittypet._

 _But…_ Firepaw had to wonder- even if he did something like becoming clan _leader_ , would cats ever truly respect him, or was his birthplace all that they cared about?

He stared down at the carp again, which only stared back with its dead, uninspiring eyes. _Well… All I can do is try. And I'm going to try my hardest._


	8. Chapter 6

_Early morning sunshine fell upon the_ river, casting glimmers of light across Sunningrocks. Firepaw padded confidently into the river, slipping in with the ease of an otter. Two moons of training had now past, and Firepaw was already shaping up to be a fine apprentice. Training lended to newer, stronger muscles, and made Firepaw a more confident cat. His pelt was now sleek and smooth just like his clanmates', and he could swim across the river with ease.

He smiled to himself as he paddled across the cool river. This was his first solo mission as an apprentice, and he was determined to do well. Even if it was simply finding fresh-kill among Sunningrocks and renewing the borders, Firepaw was going to put all of his effort into it. And with Greenleaf finally fully in swing, prey would surely be easy to find.

Firepaw climbed out of the river, pausing a moment to shake his pelt. He parted his jaws slightly to taste the air. He could smell a vole, and a moment later, he heard it scuffling among the rocks closer to the treeline. He dropped into a crouch, Dawnbright's words echoing in his head. _Keep those paws tucked tight, Firepaw- you don't want to look like a four-legged duck!_

Firepaw took a quiet step forward, careful to step on the flatter rocks that wouldn't make much noise beneath his paws. The vole remained where it was. It hadn't noticed it's hunter approaching.

 _Snap._

The vole's head shot up and it darted out of sight as bushes along the treeline rustled. Firepaw's eyes widened before he ducked behind one of the larger boulders, pelt bristling. A large gray shape was moving along the edge of Sunningrocks- _Graypaw_!

The bulky tom, like Firepaw, was filling in. He seemed to have grown since the last time Firepaw had seen him. Graypaw was sniffing around the beginning of the stones, oblivious to Firepaw's presence. _The fish-brain can't even tell I'm here!_ After another moment, Firepaw dropped back into a crouch. _Graypaw's an intruder! It's my job to chase him off!_ When the gray apprentice turned his back, facing the trees, Firepaw burst out from behind the boulder, growling as he charged towards the tom. As Graypaw turned, Firepaw leaped, paws extended, and crashed into Graypaw, knocking him off his paws.

"Ooof!" Graypaw wheezed as he crashed to the ground, clearly surprised. "Get off me!"

"Intruder!" Firepaw growled. "You're trespassing, fox-heart!"

Graypaw looked up at Firepaw, before blinking. "Kittypet? What are _you_ doing here? This is still ThunderClan land, y'know! You were lucky to get away from Thistlestar when you did-"

"I'm a _RiverClan_ apprenttice!" Firepaw growled, keeping Graypaw pinned beneath his paws. Yet, the tom didn't seem to be struggling. "And Sunningrocks belongs to us!"

Graypaw snorted. "It's my mission to reset the borders! Your lazy clan doesn't even patrol here this early!"

Firepaw let out a growl, digging his claws into Graypaw's shoulder. The gray tom hissed before complaining, "Can't we just talk this out? StarClan, you weigh too much!"

Eyes narrowed, Firepaw let the tom up, but kept his claws unsheathed. " _You're_ going to leave," he ordered. "This is RiverClan land, and you're trespassing."

Graypaw rolled his eyes. "Let's call it a tie. We both go home and no one marks the border."

"No way!" Firepaw snorted. "I can't fail my first mission, let alone _give_ Sunningrocks to ThunderClan!"

Graypaw was quiet before he shrugged and turned around. "Alright, but don't say I didn't warn you. You could have avoided a battle before, but now Thistestar is sure to bring one." As he turned away, he glanced over his shoulder. "Anyway, what's your name, kittypet?"

Firepaw was both surprised and a little off-put by how Graypaw just gave up. _He seems so certain that Thistlestar will win,_ he thought. "Firepaw," he finally answered.

"Well, good luck, Firepaw," Graypaw called as he headed away. "I'd hate you see you get hurt again by Thistlestar. Honestly."

Firepaw swallowed as memories of Thistlestar's leering face appeared in his mind, snarling as he tore Firepaw to shreds. He shook it away, and after waiting a few moments to see that Graypaw had left, he turned away. _There's not going to be any hunting here,_ he thought, a little bitterly. _I guess I could just try along the river._

Suddenly, a loud screech stopped him. _Graypaw!_ Firepaw whirled around to see the gray apprentice racing towards him. Firepaw arched his back, preparing to fight again. _Back for more already, huh?_

But then he saw the look of fear in Graypaw's wide eyes as the tom raced back towards Sunningrocks. "Fox!" He yowled, trying to scramble up a rock.

A heartbeat later, a lithe russet beast burst from the undergrowth, snarling with hunger. It had a thin, long white muzzle, and a thick, furry tail. It almost looked like some sort of wild dog. Firepaw's eyes widened as the thing set it's sights upon him.

"Firepaw!" Graypaw cried. " _Run_!"

Firepaw wanted to, he really did, but he stood frozen with silent fear. Then the fox was upon him, snapping at his face. Suddenly, something snapped inside of Firepaw, and he lashed out, catching the fox across the muzzle. Blood splurted from its clawed nose, and the fox recoiled for a moment, yiping in pain and surprise as its prey fought back.

Firepaw swung again, clawing one of the russet ears. The fox snarled, snapping at Firepaw and burying its fangs in his shoulder. Firepaw howled as hot pain seared up his shoulder, trying to pull away.

"Get away from him, crowfood-eater!" Graypaw suddenly leaped down to join him, clawing at the fox's tail until it released Firepaw, whirling around to face its new attacker.

Despite the pain in his shoulder, Firepaw snarled and delivered another blow along the fox's other side. Confused, the fox tried to turn again to snap at Firepaw. Again and again the apprentices struck, falling into a smooth rhythm, matching blow for blow as they pushed the fox back. Finally, the russet-furred creature let out one last pained whine before whipping around and fleeing into the forest.

The pair of apprentices panted for a few long moments before exchanging a glance. "You okay?" Graypaw asked, eyeing Firepaw's bleeding shoulder.

Firepaw turned his head to give the shoulder a lick and winced. "It hurts, that's for sure. Mudfur can fix it, I think."

Graypaw frowned. "You'd better get back quickly. Spottedleaf says fox bites can turn sour quickly if they aren't treated."

"Spottedleaf?" Firepaw echoed. "Is she your medicine cat?"

Graypaw nodded, before sighing, letting his shoulders sag. "Okay, I'm really going home. I won't mark the border or anything." He paused, uncertain, before adding, "You know, you fight well for a kittypet."

"That's because I'm not a kittypet," Firepaw retorted. "I'm an apprentice of RiverClan."

Graypaw nodded. "I guess that's true. It's a shame you couldn't have trained in _my_ clan- you'd be better off with us." He turned around and padded slowly towards his territory. "Bye, Firepaw."

For a moment, Firepaw wondered what life would be like if he were in ThunderClan- Would the elders be as wise as Graypool? Would the queens be as kind as Mallowtail? Would there be more or less arrogant furrballs who taunted him?

He shook his head. _I'm a warrior apprentice of RiverClan, and I'm happy with that._ Firepaw winced as he padded back towards the river. _I really hope Mudfur can fix this- it stings worse than Thistlestar's claws!_

As he stared out across the river, Firepaw hesitated. It would be easier to cross the Twoleg bridge at this point. He felt far too exhausted to jump in the river, and he didn't quite feel like risking slipping on the Stepping Stones. The water was just a smidgen higher than usual, as they had some rainy days just a few days ago.

Firepaw stepped along the riverbank, feeling the cool, damp sand squelch under his paws. _Better stick to the riverbank in case another patrol comes out here._

He reached the large stone bridge without trouble, but still felt his shoulders sag with relief as he crossed the bridge, safe again on RiverClan land. It was odd- the bridge felt foreign beneath his paws, despite walking over similar surfaces when he had lived as a kittypet only two moons ago. The soft grasses and damp earth of RiverClan felt so much more familiar and comfortable to his paws.

As he stepped off the bridge, and back onto firm ground, Firepaw jumped as he heard a wild shriek erupt from across the bridge.

"Intruder! Intruder!"

"Get off of ThunderClan territory, fleabag!"

Firepaw whirled around, bristling. He had just faced a fox; would he really have to escape a ferocious ThunderClan patrol, too?

No- it seemed it was it he they were pursuing. It looked like four seasoned warriors were streaking after something- or someone.

In fact, that someone was a large gray cat, who was racing straight for him.

And she looked just about ready to flay him to bits.


	9. Chapter 7

**Reviews:**

 **Hawkfire: Aw, thanks so much! I've definitely had that happen with some of my favorite stories.**

 **Mike: Well, I'm going to leave your other questions up for you to find out later in the series, but I will answer your first. Thistlestar chose Tigerclaw because he was a close ally of his, and like you guessed, he's a strong cat who can easily enforce rules and make their clan appear strong.**

 **Jayfeather Rules: I'm trying to make characters genetically correct (or as much as I can), which is why Mosstail is brown as opposed to pale gray-and-white. Neither of her parents had white-spotting so she wouldn't have inherited it. And I wanted at least one of them to resemble Oakheart.**

* * *

 _Firepaw let out a yowl as the gray she-cat_ leaped straight for him, bowling him off his paws. "Out of my way, crowfood!" she spat, clobbering him over the head with a large paw.

"You're the one intruding!" he hissed back, swiping at her muzzle.

The she-cat seemed to take him in before letting out a cackle. "Ha!" she laughed, rancid breath making Firepaw's lip curl. "A puny apprentice! Easy prey for Yellowfang."

Firepaw almost wished that the ThunderClan patrol had continued into his territory to deal with the she-cat, but he could hear them giving warning yowls from the other side of the river before they headed away. He glared up at Yellowfang before struggling. The she-cat let out another throaty laugh before placing her paw on his chest, pinning him to the ground.

Suddenly, Firepaw lashed out with his hind legs, and smashed them into the she-cat's stomach. Yellowfang let out a startled cry of pain before stumbling away and and tumbling to the ground. "Not such easy prey after all, huh?" Firepaw growled, leaping back up onto his paws.

"Not bad, apprentice, but you'll need to do better than that!" She spat back, hissing, as she rolled back up into her paws.

As they faced off, Firepaw finally got a good look at his adversary. She was a large gray she-cat, with thick, matted fur. She had a very broad, flat muzzle that was scarred with the wounds of past battles. Despite her blazing eyes, he could see that she was skinny, and her face seemed almost hollow with hunger.

"You're on RiverClan hunting grounds," Firepaw warned, arching his back. "Move along!"

"Who's going to make me? You?" Yellowfang snorted in contempt. "Perhaps I'll hunt first. _Then_ I'll move along." The she-cat curled her lip, exposing yellowed and broken teeth.

"Enough talk," Firepaw snapped, feeling adrenaline rushing through him. It was as though his warrior instincts were urging him on to fight for his clan. There was no backing down now.

Yellowfang seemed to shift as she noticed the change in him. She eyed Firepaw with a new respect, but still held her ground. "Alright, little cat. No need to be so hasty…" She lowered her head and let out a low purr.

Firepaw wasn't about to be fooled by her wiles. Letting out a fierce cry, he leaped forward, claws extended.

With a hiss of rage his enemy reacted, twisting up to swipe at him. Snarling and spitting, the two cats locked together before they were sent tumbling to the ground, clawing and snapping desperately. Firepaw tried time and time again to get a proper blow in, but try as he might, he found her thick and tangled fur was too much for him to get through to claw at her flesh.

Yellowfang came out on top for a moment before rearing up, letting out a yowl. Firepaw managed to move his head aside as her jaws snapped just a hair-length away from his ear. Hissing, Firepaw countered by twisting and kicking, catching a sharp blow across her skull with a flailing hind foot.

Yellowfang staggered away, shaking her head. "Yee-ow!" she cried, dazed momentarily.

Firepaw saw his chance, and leaped forward towards the she-cat's legs. He sank his teeth into one of her hind legs, and felt bile rise in his throat as the taste of the dirty, oily fur coated his mouth. Regardless, he clamped down as hard as he could until he felt skin and tasted blood. Yellowfang shrieked and spat as she whirled around to snap at his tail.

With a snarl, Firepaw ripped his tail from his opponent's jaws. His tail lashed madly back and forth before he pounced again, scratching one of her ears. Yellowfang hissed furiously as she shook her head, scattering droplets of blood. He stepped away, dancing lightly on his paws as they each sized each other up once more.

Yellowfang seemed to wheeze, and he could taste the stench of her filthiness and hunger from a fox-length away. Firepaw hesitated, his muscles relaxing for a heartbeat. He felt something very unwarriorlike- pity. This she-cat wasn't truly trying to hurt him- she was desperate and half-starved and had just been chased out of ThunderClan land, just as he had been two moons ago.

But then she leaped for him once more, and the pity disappeared. Again they clashed, tumbling and rolling. Yellowfang pushed Firepaw's muzzle into the ground, and the ginger apprentice spat out grit as he tasted it. Snarling, he twisted and clawed at her already wounded leg. After a few more blows, they separated, and Yellowfang was panting harder this time.

"Had enough?" Firepaw asked, eyeing her carefully. If she conceded, he'd let her run off with only a warning blow.

"Never!" Yellowfang screeched, drawing herself up to her full height again. "Mousedung, if I weren't so tired and hungry I'd have finished you off already!" Despite her brave words, the she-cat's injured leg gave out with a shudder, and she crumpled to the ground with an " _Oomf!_ " She let her head fall to the ground, eyes dull. "Well, finish me off. I won't stop you. You'll be doing me a favor."

Firepaw stared at her uncertainly. _I can't hurt her. She's hungry and desperate and ThunderClan probably hurt her._ He frowned. _But she has a clan name. Is she… ShadowClan?_ Firepaw had never killed before, and certainly not in cold blood! It was one thing to strike a finishing blow in the heat of battle, but… this? This felt wrong.

"Well?" The she-cat scoffed, wrinkling her nose. "You're dithering like a lizard-brained kittypet!"

Firepaw bared his teeth and snarled. He could tell she wanted to rile him on, but he couldn't resist reacting to the jab. "I am a warrior apprentice of RiverClan!" he growled, bristling.

Yellowfang seemed confused before she broke into a sneering grin. "Well, well. Is RiverClan so weak that they are accepting soft-pawed kittypets into their ranks?" she broke off into a fit of laughter, as though the entire idea was extremely amusing.

"RiverClan is not weak!" Firepaw spat, feeling aggression rising within him again.

"Prove it!" Yellowfang hissed, glaring up at him. "Finish me off, kitty."

Firepaw stared at her as he sheathed his claws. He wasn't about to allow himself to be goaded into killing this pathetic creature. "You seem in a rush to die."

"Yeah?" Yellowfang snorted, chest heaving. "That's my business, mousefodder." She glared at him again. "Are you trying to _talk_ me to death?"

Firepaw stared at her uncertainly. He could smell the hunger and sickness rolling off of her in waves as she lay defeated in the dirt. What could he do? He didn't want to kill her. And yet, she clearly couldn't hunt for herself. How long would she survive like this?

"Wait here," He ordered, flicking his tail.

Yellowfang seemed to deflate for a moment before she pushed herself up into a sitting position. "You kidding? I'm not going anywhere, kitty." She stood and limped over to a small gorse bush before flopping down again and leaning over to lick her wounded leg.

Firepaw padded away, tasting the air. _I'll just give her a bite to eat and send her on her way. No one deserves to starve like that._ Firepaw padded down the riverbank, feeling absolutely exhausted. It was lucky for him that Yellowfang had been weak- he was tired enough after fighting the fox.

He pricked his ears as he spotted a plump water vole munching on some plant, and dropped into a crouch. Firepaw made quick work of it- with a leap and a snap, it was his, and he headed back towards where he'd left Yellowfang.

The ragged she-cat raised her head as he padded towards her. "Back so soon, kitty? Changed your mind about killing me? For a moment I'd thought you'd scurried off to get your warrior friends!"

"Yeah? Well, maybe I will do that." Firepaw dropped the vole at her paws. "Eat. Unless you don't want it…?"

"Ah- no. I do want it." Yellowfang pulled it closer with a paw. She sniffed it for a moment. "a little small, but I suppose it will do." She took a bite and chewed slowly, closing her eyes.

Firepaw wanted to roll his eyes. _I suppose I can take that as a 'thanks'._

Yellowfang looked up at him slyly. "Better than some of the slop they feed some of our brothers, eh, kitty?" Firepaw bristled as he gave his wounded shoulder a lick. Yellowfang knew she'd hit a sore spot, and went on. "Can't see why anyone would want such frogspawn… it's poison! Absolute muck."

Before Firepaw could give her a stinging retort, Yellowfang's head shot up. "Shh… warriors coming."

 _Oh no!_ Firepaw's eyes widened. He could smell Leopardfoot coming closer, and heard her furious yowl. "The clan must be fed _first_!" Firepaw winced, bracing himself for the deputy's remiranding. But surely, she would have to understand why he had helped her? Mind reeling, he wanted nothing more than to wake up and find this all to be some terrible dream. His first real apprentice task, and he had ended up breaking the warrior code!


	10. Chapter 8

**Merry Christmas, everyone, and thanks for already getting this story to 40 reviews! These past few chapters have been very easy to write which is why you're getting pretty quick updates. It may or may not be like this next week too, since I still have another week until I go back to school.**

 **Reviews:**

 **Hatakefire: Yes, that was planned! I actually didn't think anyone would notice that, haha.**

* * *

 _Yellowfang growled defiantly at the approaching pawsteps,_ but Firepaww could see the fear in her eyes. It was one thing to have a scrap with a simple apprentice, but an entire patrol, while still half-starved and wounded? It would take a fool to _not_ be afraid. "So long, kitty," she muttered, struggling to her paws. "Thanks for the meal, but I'd best be off." However, she wobbled unsteadily before falling. "Fox-dung!"

It was too late for her to run. Firepaw shrank back as Leopardfur pushed her way through the honeysuckle bushes, followed quickly by Crookedstar, Blackclaw, Loudbelly, and Silverpaw. _Just great!_ Firepaw thought hopelessly, shrinking back. _Not only am I caught feeding a trespasser, it's by the clan deputy_ and _leader..._

Firepaw meowed a shaky greeting to his clanmates. Silverpaw sneered at him, smirking as he stood side-by-side with Loudbelly.

"Firepaw?" Crookedstar stared at him evenly. "What have we here? An enemy warrior- recently fed, by the smell of it."

"I'll bet he was revealing our secrets to this rogue!" Blackclaw snarled.

"Silence!" Leopardfur snapped, lashing her tail.

"She was weak and hungry…" Firepaw tried, keeping his head low.

"And you?" Crookedstar asked. "I see that you did not eat any, but yet you still are all the way out here, catching prey for the enemy. Why did you feel so inclined to neglect your original task and feed this outsider?"

Firepaw was not fooled by the soft tone of his leader- Crookedstar was clearly furious. And yet, beneath it, he seemed tired. Deflated, almost, as though he had already been dealing with bigger problems and was forcing himself to summon up the energy to be angry about this situation.

Before he could try again, he heard Silverpaw hiss, "Once a kittypet, always a kittypet!"

"Too weak and soft-pawed for his own good!" Loudbelly added.

Crookedstar ignored them both and glanced at Yellowfang before starting. "My, Firepaw, it seems you have captured a ShadowClan cat. One many of us know well. You are Yellowfang, ShadowClan's medicine cat, aren't you? What are you doing in RiverClan? You're quite far from home."

"That's none of your business!" Yellowfang hissed. "I _was_ ShadowClan's medicine cat. I walk alone now."

Firepaw was a bit surprised. He'd guessed she was from another clan- but he had really been right about her being ShadowClan? Perhaps he should have given her a few more blows for good measure after all.

"Yellowfang," Leopardfur raised a brow. "You must have fallen upon hard times to have been beaten by an apprentice with only two moons of training."

Yellowfang curled her lip as Blackclaw spoke again. "Firepaw should be punished! He fed an enemy warrior and neglected his duties!"

"But I-" Firepaw wanted to tell them he _had_ done his task as instructed, but Crookedstar cut him off.

"I don't want your excuses," he snapped, before flattening his fur again. "We will take Yellowfang to our camp and hold her as prisoner until we know more. I'll deal with her and Firepaw once I know more."

"What more is there to know?" Loudbelly demanded. "Firepaw's a traitor- he should be banished to live with this filthy rogue!"

"Shut your mouth!" Leopardfur whirled upon the tom. "You will respect your leader's decision. We have dealt with enough trouble today- or would you like to punished too for ignoring your leader's words? Want to make it two cats who have broken the code today?"

Loudbelly shrank back, and Crookedstar laid his tail across his deputy's shoulders. "Thank you, Leopardfur, but that will be enough." Regardless, he shot Loudbelly a look. "And besides, all clans speak of Yellowfang's bravery and wisdom. You would do well to give her due respect. Can you walk?" he asked Yellowfang, stepping closer. "Do you need help?"

"I have three good legs," Yellowfang growled, forcing herself to stand.

Her eyes were glazed with pain, but Firepaw watched with a twinge of sympathy as she went on. A flicker of respect crossed Crookedstar's face as the patrol surrounded her and they walked on towards camp.

Firepaw and Silverpaw fell behind, and Firepaw wanted nothing more than to collapse right then and there rather than walk with the rude tom.

"Who is she?" He finally asked.

"Yellowfang?" Silverpaw blinked, more surprised Firepaw was even talking to him than he was by the question itself. For a moment, Firepaw expected him to give a jab or insult, but Silverpaw responded after hesitating. "She is- was- ShadowClan's medicine cat. I don't know a lot, except that she became a warrior before she trained as a medicine cat, which isn't usual. I guess she's a loner now."

"A loner?" Firepaw echoed curiously.

"A loner doesn't have any clan ties or twolegs," Silverpaw explained, rolling his eyes. "Loudbelly says they're untrustworthy. No warrior code or sense of honor."

"I might be a loner once Crookedstar's through with me," Firepaw sighed.

Silverpaw snorted. "As much as I'd _love_ to see you get tossed out of my clan, Crookedstar probably won't do that. He's pretty pleased with himself to have such an important cat prisoner."

Firepaw didn't answer, and simply padded on with a heavy heart and sore wounds. This wasn't how he wanted his first solo task to end.

* * *

Crookedstar flicked his tail as they padded into camp. "Take Yellowfang to Mudfur," he told Leopardfur. "I'll talk to Firepaw."

The ginger apprentice watched as the ragged she-cat separated from the patrol and walked towards Mudfur's den with Leopardfur. As she padded across camp, the clan seemed to notice her arrival, and upon their realization that this was a prisoner, and a ShadowClan cat, at that, they began to taunt and jeer at her.

Firepaw was impressed at how Yellowfang only twitched an ear and ignored the insults. The deputy and the loner disappeared into Mudfur's den, and the calls died down, but were replaced with curious mutters.

"Come," Crookedstar ordered, turning and padding towards his den. Head and tail low, Firepaw followed, and they ducked into the den.

Crookedstar turned about and sat, tucking his paws neatly. The huge tom seemed regal as always, but still, quite tired. He shifted his twisted jaw for a moment, as though trying to think of what even to inquire of the apprentice. "Just start from the beginning," he sighed. "Tell me everything, Firepaw."

Firepaw sat down, wanting nothing more than to fall into his own nest and rest for three days straight. "I went to Sunningrocks, like I was told- honest!" He flinched under Crookedstar's stern gaze. "I ran into a ThunderClan apprentice there… Graypaw. He'd been sent to mark Sunningrocks himself. We had a scrap, but he gave in quickly. He almost left, but then a fox chased him back, and we fought it off together." Firepaw licked his stinging shoulder again. "It gave me this. Then Graypaw went home, and I figured I'd be safer walking across the bridge, so I wouldn't slip on the rocks, and I was pretty tired after fighting the fox."

"Just as I crossed the bridge, I heard yowling and saw Yellowfang being chased by a ThunderClan patrol. She attacked me, and we fought until I wounded her leg and she collapsed." Firepaw lowered his gaze guiltily. "She wanted me to kill her… I couldn't do that! She was hungry and weak, and I felt bad for her."

"And so you caught her prey and fed her," Crookedstar finished, tail twitching.

"I'm sorry," Firepaw sighed. "I didn't _want_ to break the code, but I couldn't let her starve like that!"

"I understand your pity for her," Crookedstar meowed after a moment. "You showed great compassion- and I won't pretend that I am not impressed that you fought not one, but _three_ enemies today. Weak or not, I am surprised you managed to defeat a cat like Yellowfang. But-" The tabby frowned. "I will also not deny that you broke the warrior code. That cannot go unpunished. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Crookedstar," Firepaw replied sullenly.

"Very well." Crookedstar paused for a moment. "Then until your punishment is revoked, you will care for Yellowfang as though she were Graypool. You will hunt for her, you will fetch her bedding, clear away her dirt, and crack her ticks."

 _Clear away her dirt?_ Firepaw almost wished the fox had killed him after all. Bowing his head, he murmured, "Yes, Crookedstar." After a moment, he asked, "What will happen to her?"

Crookedstar looked thoughtful. "She'll be staying here. If we're lucky, she'll tell us ShadowClan secrets." With a sigh, he added, "StarClan knows we need them now."

Firepaw furrowed his brow. What could _that_ mean?

Crookedstar flicked his tail. "You're dismissed. I must make a few announcements."

Firepaw padded from the den, followed by his leader. _Everyone on the patrol looked on edge… and what was that about needing ShadowClan secrets? Is ShadowClan causing trouble for us?_

Crookedstar leaped up the Rockpile, where announcements were made. "All cats old enough to swim gather here for a clan meeting!"

Most cats were already in the center of camp, due to the arrival of Yellowfang, but those who were not padded out from their dens to listen. Firepaw watched as Graypool slowly walked towards the gathered clan, and Mallowtail appeared in the nursery entrance to view from afar.

When Crookedstar saw that everyone was present, he began. "As you probably know, we captured a ShadowClan cat today- none other than their medicine cat, Yellowfang."

"Don't medicine cats have the right to travel where they please?" Skyheart called, frowning.

"Normally, yes," Crookedstar nodded. "But Yellowfang claims she walks alone now. I will not question that claim."

Instantly, protests rose.

"She's a spy!"

"She's here to reveal our secrets!"

"Drive her out!"

"Kill her!"

"Silence!" Leopardfur yowled. "Let your leader speak!"

Crookedstar nodded at her before going on. "Think. Why would she not use her status as a medicine cat to her advantage? She is starved and weak, and could have asked for prey and herbs quite easily. I see no reason to believe she is lying." There were a few suspicious mutters, but what Crookedstar was saying _did_ make sense.

 _No clan cat should be_ that _hungry,_ Firepaw thought, shifting his paws.

Crookedstar looked much more solemn now. "As some of you know may know, I took a patrol to meet with Brokenstar today."

Firepaw blinked as Grasspaw crept closer and sat beside him. "Who's Brokenstar?" he whispered to the brown tom.

Grasspaw twitched his whiskers. "ShadowClan's new leader. I haven't seen him yet, but Heavypaw says he's downright scary!"

"Until further notice, ShadowClan has permission to hunt on our lands."

Then the outrage _really_ started.

"What?!" Petaldust screeched. "Are you out of your mind?"

"I won't give my prey to those crow-food eaters!" Beetlenose spat.

"I say we fight them instead of just hand over prey!" Frogleap cried.

"What about my kits?" Whiteclaw demanded. "Our clan has four new mouths to feed!"

"Enough!" Crookedstar ordered, tail lashing. "My decision is for the good of our clan. They _will_ hunt here, and they will only take four pieces of prey per day. If we catch them infringing on this agreement, _then_ \- and only then- will we fight."

"But Crookedstar, why?" Sunfish asked, eyes wide.

The tabby leader sighed heavily. "Because ShadowClan has driven WindClan from the forest, and I will not allow the same to happen to us."

A hushed silence fell over the clan as they began to exchange horrified glances. Firepaw's eyes widened in shock. _ShadowClan… drove WindClan out? That's wrong! How could they do such a thing?_

Crookedstar bowed his head. "Brokenstar himself brought us to WindClan to see for ourselves."

"Their scent is stale," Leopardfur added. "They've been gone at least a quarter moon."

"What could I do?" Crookedstar went on. "I do not know ShadowClan's true strength, but if they were capable of driving a clan from the territory they have lived in for generations… I fear they are a greater threat than ThunderClan."

"Thistlestar was bad enough!" Blackclaw finally hissed. "But he never did anything _this_ terrible."

Graypool nodded in agreement. "It is one thing to be arrogant and hungry for battle… it is another to spit in the faces of our ancestors this way."

Crookedstar dipped his head to the elder. "I know. But until our apprentices are warriors, I fear we may not be able to best ShadowClan." Raising his head with a new look of determination, he declared, "The training of all our apprentices shall be sped up. I want each of them battle-ready as soon as possible."

"And then we will fight?" Blackclaw prompted.

"We will see," Crookedstar said, leaping from the Rockpile. "We will see."


	11. Chapter 9

**Reviews:**

 **Guest: This series will follow the** _ **main**_ **plotline, but of course due to Firepaw being RiverClan and Thistlestar now as the leader of ThunderClan, you will have some changes and surprises to look forward to.**

* * *

 _Firepaw blinked as he felt Grasspaw_ prod him with a paw. "You'd better go see Yellowfang," he mewed. "She doesn't look too happy."

Firepaw followed the tabby's gaze across camp to where Yellowfang was sheltered under a tangle of broken reeds. As Grasspaw said, she was glaring at him in a way that made his skin crawl. _You and me both, Yellowfang._ "Alright," Firepaw sighed. "Have fun training."

"Oh, don't be such a grump!" Grasspaw said, nudging him playfully. "I'm sure you'll be training again in no time."

 _Don't bet on it,_ Firepaw thought sullenly before he rose to his paws and padded towards the she-cat.

"Ah, kittypet," Yellowfang said as he approached. "My leg is acting up again. Fetch me a poultice- marigold and goldenrod should do well… and get me a poppy seed, while you're at it!"

Firepaw lashed his tail. "Fine, but don't call me a kittypet."

Yellowfang eyed the apprentice, smiling slyly. "But you _are_ a kittypet, aren't you? Your mother a kittypet? Your father? You were born and raised with twolegs, yes?"

"I _was_ a kittypet," Firepaw growled. "I'm a RiverClan cat now."

Yellowfang ignored him with a sniff. "It's humiliating, being watched over by a helpless kittypet! They're useless- only exist for eating rotten slop and dung pellets, and sleeping! They're too fat and slow to put up a proper fight… if I hadn't been so hungry, you'd be dust!"

"Shut up!" Firepaw snapped, and the she-cat blinked. "It doesn't matter that I was a kittypet; you'd be humiliated no matter _who_ was caring for you! It could be Crookedstar himself or one of ShadowClan's queens- you're just embarrassed to have to rely on _anyone_ for help! Why, you're just a spiteful old bone-bag!"

He heard a wheeze from Yellowfang, and for a heartbeat, thought he'd sent her into a coughing fit. Then he realized she was _laughing_. "Ha!" Yellowfang chuckled, shaking with mirth. "My, kitty, you've got a little spunk hidden under that gentle guise! Get on with you, and go fetch that poultice."

Frowning, he nodded and turned away towards Mudfur's den. Inside, the dark tom was sorting herbs as usual. "Horsetail… goldenrod… a bit of honeycomb- ah, Firepaw!" He gave the apprentice a friendly nod. "Need something for Yellowfang, or is your fox bite acting up?"

"It's fine," Firepaw smiled at the medicine cat. It had been five sunrises since he'd fought the fox and been caught with Yellowfang, and the wound had healed well. "Can I get some herbs for Yellowfang's leg?"

Mudfur nodded. "Just a moment." The medicine cat rose and headed deeper into the den, where he stored the herbs, and returned with a small wad of herbs. He dropped them at Firepaw's paws. "Just chew these up and lick them onto her wound."

"Thanks," Firepaw sighed, shuddering at the thought of tasting her rotten pelt again. He grabbed the herb bundle and quickly retreated, padding back towards Yellowfang's shelter.

On his way back, Firepaw spotted Blackclaw and Whiteclaw eyeing him, as though they were watching his every move. Firepaw curled his lip, but said nothing to the toms. _Watch all you like, furballs. Neither of you are leader or deputy, nor my mentor, so there's not much you can do to torture me._ Firepaw lashed his tail and continued on towards Yellowfang.

"Finally!" Yellowfang rasped, pulling the herbs towards her the moment Firepaw set them down. "I can handle my own wounds, thank you very much! I'm not _quite_ a bag of bones yet."

Firepaw twitched his whiskers in surprise and amusement at her teasing manner. The she-cat went from mood to mood so quickly that it was hard to know what to expect. "Suit yourself," he shrugged.

"Now, before you leave me in peace, fetch me something to eat- I'm starving!" Yellowfang ordered, picking up the herbs in her jaws as she began to chew.

Firepaw flicked his tail and turned away. _She might not be all bad, but I sure hope I get to train again soon._

* * *

Firepaw sat up in nest and stretched, finding himself to be the only cat awake, aside from Heavypaw, who was still sprawled in his nest regardless.

 _Another dull day of hunting for Yellowfang,_ Firepaw thought, yawning. He leaned forward, pushing out his paws to stretch his legs and shoulders. Giving his pelt a final shake, he prodded Grasspaw. "Hey. Wake up."

"Mrrh?" Grasspaw opened one eye slowly. "Aw, Firepaw, I was having this great dream about catching a _huge_ salmon…"

Firepaw rolled his eyes. "Come on, you lazy lump. It's past sunrise."

Grasspaw shouldered his sister, who was sleeping in a nest close to his. "Get up, lazy lump."

Vixenpaw rolled over in her nest and growled quietly. "Fine, fine."

Silverpaw sat up a moment later. "Who's turn is it to feed Graypool and Mallowtail?"

Heavypaw snorted. "Might as well be Firepaw again, since he's supposed to hunt and care for that old coot."

Firepaw found himself bristling slightly. "She's not all bad," he said. "And Crookedstar said we should treat her with respect. She has more experience being a warrior _and_ a healer than any of you!"

"You're awfully defensive of that mange-ball," Silverpaw growled. "Are you planning something with her, kittypet?"

" _What_ would I be planning with Yellowfang?" Firepaw snorted.

"Oh, don't bother." Mosspaw kicked her brother from her nest. "He's a grouch in the morning, that's all. I'll go get Graypool and Mallowtail their breakfast so _you_ lazy lot can eat."

The pretty tortoiseshell rose and padded out of the den. After a moment, Silverpaw followed, brushing past Firepaw rather roughly. Firepaw growled at him, and wanted to snap at the prickly apprentice's tail as it whisked past his nose.

"Silverpaw will get over himself some day," Grasspaw meowed good-naturedly, sitting up. "But we might as well get up. Sedgecreek will have my tail if I'm late again!"

Vixenpaw rolled her eyes. "I don't think Sedgecreek has it in her to take your tail. She's too nice!"

"Let's just get going," Firepaw sighed. "I'm sure Yellowfang will start yowling for me if I don't hurry up and catch her something!"

"You're right," Grasspaw chuckled. "Now _there's_ a cat who'd rip your tail off and feed it to you if you didn't obey her!"

* * *

"Ah, there you are, kitty," Yellowfang said as Firepaw approached with a squirrel in his jaws. "A touch scrawny, but it will do."

 _What a stuck-up she-cat!_ He thought, dropping it at her paws. _I'd bet a rat's tail ThunderClan would feed her scraps and crow-food if they had her in their paws!_

"Now, there's an itch in my tail that I can't just get. Give it a wash, will you?" Yellowfang pulled the squirrel close and took a messy bite. Firepaw's belly rumbled with hunger. He still hadn't eaten today. As he turned to sit at her thick tail, he wrinkled his nose. She still reeked. Shuddering, he sat and got down to work, rasping his tongue over her thick tail.

As he cleaned, he watched as two kits tumbled out of the nursery on short, trembling legs. "Wow!" One squeaked. "Camp is so big!"

The second, who Firepaw recognized as little Stormkit, the runt of the litter, let out an excited mew. "Come on, guys! It's great!"

Mallowtail then emerged from the nursery, nudging her other two kits outside. She gave Firepaw a friendly blink. "It's their first time out," she purred proudly.

The four kits raced about, ducking under the paws of cats who were going about their business. Some quietly hissed at the tiny nuisances, but others chuckled at their antics. Healthy kits were a good sign for RiverClan.

Eventually, the four kits started to mock battle. "Feel my teeth, Brokenstar!" Stormkit crowed, pouncing on Sparrowkit's back.

Firepaw frowned as Yellowfang stiffened a bit. Had he accidentally snagged her pelt on a claw?

Sparrowkit let out a growl of mock fury before giving her brother a sharp kick. Stormkit was sent tumbling, and rolled right into Yellowfang's paw.

"Get away from me, you scrap!" She suddenly shrieked, startling Firepaw. Yellowfang lashed out, knocking Stormkit away from her. The tiny tortoiseshell tom let out a piteous mewl, and Mallowtail's head shot up from where she had been eating.

Turning about, the queen bounded towards her son, and pulled him close, glaring ferociously at Yellowfang. "What did you do to him?" She demanded, baring her teeth. Not waiting for an answer, she spat, "You're a menace! No wonder ShadowClan got rid of you!" Snatching up Stormkit in her jaws, the queen whipped back around and retreated to the nursery to comfort her son.

"What was that for?" Firepaw asked, a little shaken by both Yellowfang's attack and Mallowtail's outburst. "He was just playing."

"He was being an annoyance!" Yellowfang hissed. "Kits should stay in the nursery. Out of sight of cats with work to do."

"Did you ever have kids of your own, though?" Firepaw asked. It was odd for any cat to be so hostile towards kits. _There must be some reason behind it._

"Don't be foolish!" Yellowfang snapped, bristling. "Medicine cats are forbidden from taking a mate."

"But what about before that, when you were a warrior?" Firepaw prompted curiously.

"No!" She hissed. "I… have no kits of my own. Keep your nose where it belongs- out if my business. Let's just say… bad things happen to kits when they're around me." The anger in Yellowfang's tone had faded, replaced now by an almost forlorn sadness. "They should all keep their distance."

"Alright," Firepaw finally said. It was obvious this was a sore subject for Yellowfang. _I wonder what happened to make her leave ShadowClan._ "Just… don't go snapping at any more kits. The clan dislikes you enough as it is."

Yellowfang huffed slightly and said nothing more, settling her chin on her paws. She seemed to be spacing out; her orange eyes were slightly glazed with pain.

After a bit more washing, Firepaw glanced up. "There were a few ticks I couldn't pull."

"Well!" Yellowfang snorted. "Good thing you didn't. you daft fool! I don't want tick head embedded in my rear! Now go fetch some mouse bile from that medicine cat of yours. At least _he_ seems to have some sense."

Despite the insults, Firepaw found himself chuckling. There was the old Yellowfang he knew. "I'll fetch some now!" He said, happy to be free of his grooming. The ginger tom quickly rose and padded off towards Mudfur's den again. On his way, cats were crisscrossing camp, carrying reeds, moss, and feathers as they built up the dens and camp walls. Ever since the news of WindClan's disappearance and ShadowClan's hunting rights, camp had been buzzing with activity. Even Graypool was helping Loudbelly and Heavypaw scrape out a large hole for the fresh-kill pile.

Dawnbright, Leopardfur, and Silverstream were padding into camp, each carrying a few fish. They dropped their catches, and shared a few words with Voleclaw before he padded out of camp with Petaldust and Beetlenose.

Firepaw ducked into Mudfur's den to see the thick-furred tom preparing some sort of herbs. "Hello," he called. "Could I get some mouse bile for Yellowfang?"

"In a moment," Mudfur flicked his tail as he pushed a dock leaf-wrapped bundle of herbs towards a small pile of similar wraps.

Firepaw twitched his whiskers. "What's that you're making?"

"Preparations," the medicine cat sighed. "Never know what could happen." After he rolled three more bundes, he heaved himself to his paws. "Alright. Mouse bile, right?"

Firepaw bobbed his head. "Yep."

Quickly Mudfur returned with wad of bile-soaked moss stuck to a stick and placed it at Firepaw's feet. "Here you go. Now, don't forget to wash your paws in the river after, or your denmates won't be fond of you at all!" Whisking back around, the medicine cat set himself back to work.

* * *

"There," Firepaw said as he pressed the moss into the last tick. The insect released it's grip, and Firepaw quickly stuck it with a claw to kill it. "All done."

"Good!" Yellowfang sighed, exasperated. "Took you long enough. Now that your paws are already filthy, you can clear away my dirt and then get on with whatever it is RiverClan apprentices do." She parted her jaws in a yawn, revealing her blackened teeth. "I suppose I'll take a nap."

When Firepaw had finished, he hurried off towards the camp entrance to go to the river.

"Firepaw!" The apprentice paused as he spotted Graypool calling out to him. "Where are you off to, youngster?"

"Washing my paws," he explained. "I was getting rid of Yellowfang's ticks."

"Ah," Graypool smiled knowingly. "Well, I won't keep you from doing it. But be sure you don't come back empty-pawed! We need a stock of fresh-kill more now than ever."

Firepaw dipped his head to the elder. "Of course."

The young tom headed out of camp and towards the river. It was about sun-high, and the day was warm and sunny. Firepaw splashed into the river, sighing with relief as the water washed over his paws.

"Hey!" Grasspaw's head shot up from farther downstream. "Whaddya say, Mosspaw, is that a red furry fish?"

Firepaw purred in amusement and waded in deeper before he struck out for the two apprentices. As he paddled towards them, he called back, "What are you two doing here? Where's Sedgecreek and Petaldust?"

"They told us to spend the afternoon fishing," Mosspaw replied, swimming in a neat circle around him. "You'd think we're about to be attacked!"

Firepaw gasped, startled, as Vixenpaw burst from the water with a small carp in her jaws. Quickly heading to the shoreline, the black she-cat leaped from the water and pinned the fish before killing it. "What'd I miss?"

"Mosspaw says we're acting like we're due to be attacked," Grasspaw replied.

"Well, we might as well be getting ready," Vixenpaw shrugged. "ShadowClan's already taken hunting rights to our land, and chased away WindClan. It's only a matter of time before Brokenstar gets bored again."

Firepaw frowned as he began to tread water. "You think so?"

Grasspaw rolled his eyes. "Well, on that happy note, we've still got an afternoon of fishing ahead of us. Care to join us?"

"Sure!" Firepaw purred, swimming closer to join his friends. After all, even if he was responsible for the grouchiest cat in the four clans, he could still have a nice, warm afternoon of swimming with his fellow apprentices.


	12. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER TEN**

 **So I realized Reedtail should've been included in the allegiances. Whoops.**

 **Reviews:**

 **Mike: Actually, Silverpaw does exist, he's listed an apprentice and as a tom at the same time that Silverstream exists. He's canonically younger but I altered some of the ages of apprentices.**

* * *

 _By the next morning, a light rain_ began to fall upon the clan, drizzling down the dens of RiverClan.

Firepaw woke up to a cold den, and quickly made his way out to check up Yellowfang. The old she-cat squinted at him as he approached. "My bones ache," she complained. "Has it been raining all night?"

"Since moonhigh," he sighed. Tilting his head, he asked, "Would you like me to move your nest closer to the nursery? It's sheltered there."

"Pah!" Yellowfang hissed. "And be kept up by crying kits? As if!"

Firepaw flinched. _Wrong subject again_. "Alright, but at least let me get you some dry moss."

Yellowfang nodded. "Thank you, Firepaw."

Firepaw stared at her, startled. He'd never heard the she-cat thank him for anything, and certainly not call him by name! Was she coming down with something?

"Well?" Yellowfang snapped. "Get on with it, you lump!"

Firepaw couldn't resist a purr of amusement. _She'll never let up, will she?_ "I'll be back soon," he promised, turning away quickly. He nearly crashed into Mallowtail, who was standing behind him. "Oh, hello," he smiled. "Did you come here to see Yellowfang?"

Mallowtail curled her lip at the mention of the she-cat. "What would I want with her? No, Crookedstar is looking for you."

Firepaw blinked and stared past her towards Crookedstar's den. The massive tabby was sitting just outside his den, grooming his chest. "Thanks, Mallowtail," he said, as he padded by towards his leader.

"Ah, Firepaw," Crookedstar smiled as the ginger tom sat in front of him. "Tell me, how is Yellowfang?"

"Her bedding is soaked, so I was going to fetch her some dry moss," Firepaw explained. _Did I forget to do something?_ "I was going to feed her right after."

"I'll have one of the warriors take care of it," Crookedstar said dismissively. "Do you think she's well enough to hunt for herself yet?"

Firepaw shook his head. "No, but she is starting to walk well enough."

"I spoke to her yesterday," Crookedstar said, twitching an ear. "She spoke quite fondly of you. I suspect she wasn't always so bad-tempered- in fact, I could probably grow to enjoy her company myself! Firepaw, I believe you've done your part in caring for Yellowfang. It is time for you to return to your apprentice duties."

Firepaw straightened instantly, brightening. "Thank you, Crookedstar!"

The massive tabby smiled. "Now, go join the others by the camp entrance. Leopardfur, Blackclaw, and Beetlenose will be assessing all of the apprentices' skills today."

Firepaw nodded, but frowned as he turned away. _Great,_ he thought. _Blackclaw and Beetlenose hate me enough. And who knows what Leopardfur thinks about_ anyone _. She's harder to read than Yellowfang!_

Indeed, the apprentices were all gathered in a cluster by the camp entrance, joined by the two warriors and Clan deputy.

"Finally joining the _real_ warriors, kittypet?" Silverpaw sneered as he sat beside Grasspaw.

The ginger apprentice rolled his eyes but ignored the silver tom. He wasn't going to going to let anyone ruin this for him.

"Alright, everyone is here," Leopardfur finally said. "First we're going to take you to the beech trees for some battle practice- then we'll be doing a bit of training in the water. Afterwards, you'll split up and hunt. Understood?"

When each apprentice had nodded, she rose. "Come," The dappled she-cat meowed. "We've got much to cover before the day is out. And keep in mind- your success today will determine whether or not you will be attending the gathering."

Firepaw exchanged an excited glance with Grasspaw. _The gathering!_ He had never been, and this was finally his chance to go.

* * *

Silverpaw screeched as Heavypaw reared up, throwing him off his back. Shadepaw quickly pounced on the tabby tom, holding him as he struggled desperately. Meanwhile, Firepaw launched himself at Heavypaw, striking blow after blow on the stocky tom's ears as he tried to drive him back.

They were fighting in partners, and Firepaw's partnership with Silverpaw was an absolute mess. Both toms were determined to win, but neither was really working with the other. On the other hand, Heavypaw and Shadepaw seemed unstoppable.

As he landed another swipe across Heavypaw's face, Firepaw thought, _I need to throw him off balance… otherwise, he's much too strong for me._ Thinking quickly, Firepaw faked a trip, and stumbled as though off-balance. Heavypaw reacted quickly, and reared up, preparing to crush Firepaw beneath him with his hefty paws.

Firepaw swiftly slammed his forepaws on the ground and spun on them, lashing out with his hind legs. He felt his feet collide with Heavypaw's legs, and as the brown tom wobbled, Firepaw dove away in time for the tom to topple over with a startled yowl.

"Silverpaw!" Firepaw called, seeing that the tom was dodging another attack from Shadepaw. "We need to work together!"

"Work with _you_ , kittypet?" Shadepaw hissed. "Never!" He snapped at Shadepaw's ear, only missing it by a hair-length.

Heavypaw was now rising again. _Fox-dung!_ Firepaw thought, and sprang forward. Recalling his battle with Yellowfang, Firepaw aimed for Heavypaw's hind leg and sank his teeth lightly into the soft spot just near the tom's hip. Heavypaw let out a yowl and writhed, kicking Firepaw in the head.

"Enough!" Leopardfur ordered.

Firepaw backed away from Heavypaw, shaking his head from the blow. He glanced back at Silverpaw. The tabby had been pinned again by Shadepaw, who was grinning down triumphantly at him.

"Firepaw and Silverpaw, your team work was disastrous. At least Firepaw _attempted_ to work with you- I'm disappointed in you, Silverpaw."

The apprentice wouldn't meet his deputy's eyes. _Arrogant furrball!_ Firepaw thought scornfully.

Leopardfur then spat, " _You_ certainly won't be going to the gathering, Silverpaw, unless you manage to extremely impress me later today." Lashing her tail, she glanced at Beetlenose. "Assess them in the water. I'm going to speak privately with the two of them."

"What's the point?" Beetlenose snorted. "Silverpaw is right. That dumb kittypet can't accomplish anything."

Leopardfur's eyes blazed. "Were you watching the battle, Beetlenose, or dozing off? Should _your_ skills as a warrior be tested today?"

Firepaw had an inkling of a feeling that her fury came more from being backmouthed rather than the insults towards him, but he was enjoying seeing both Beetlenose _and_ Silverpaw getting chewed out.

Beetlenose snarled and looked away.

"Both of you, follow me," Leopardfur ordered, turning around. Reluctantly, Silverpaw and Firepaw followed as the others got up and began to head towards the river. Once the others were gone, they sat just outside the training circle. "I don't even know where to _begin_ with you two."

"Firepaw's useless!" Silverpaw spat. "I shouldn't have been paired up with him. _He's_ the one who messed me up!"

Firepaw bristled indignantly. "That's not true!" he protested. "I _tried_ to get you to work with me!"

"Exactly," Leopardfur growled. "Silverpaw, as a cat born and raised in RiverClan, I would expect _you_ to be better behaved than young Firepaw. Kittypet blood or not, he is your clanmate, and you _will_ treat him as such."

"Bah!" Silverpaw hissed. "I'll never be friends with a kittypet!"

"I never said _friends,_ " Leopardfur snorted. "I'm saying to be his clanmate! Friendships can come and go, but loyalty to your clan and the cats within it should be a stronger tie than anything else you may know. Firepaw has trained with us like any other apprentice, and he has earned that loyalty."

"He will _never_ be my clanmate!" Silverpaw exploded. Firepaw flinched at the ferocity of his tone. "I'll never be loyal to _any_ stinking kittypet!" Bristling, he spat, "I don't care if I don't go to the stupid gathering! I didn't even want to go in the first place!"

"Get back to camp," Leopardfur snarled. "You certainly _won't_ be attending. In fact, you can spend the rest of the day caring for Yellowfang, and if I hear a single complaint from her about her treatment… well, let's just say caring for Yellowfang will seem like a blessing."

Silverpaw spat and turned away before he raced off, tail lashing.

"Go join the others at the river," Leopardfur growled. "I'm going to speak with Crookedstar before you all hunt."

* * *

Firepaw pressed himself low to the ground, eyeing the bushy-tailed squirrel before him. He would have to catch it before it could reach the nearest tree, or it would be gone for good.

Pawstep by pawstep, the fiery tom crept closer. Judging that he was close enough, Firepaw shot forward, paws extended. The squirrel hardly had a moment to spin about before Firepaw was upon it and snapped it's neck with a sharp bite.

Dropping his kill, Firepaw took a look at the sky. The sun was beginning to dip lower towards the horizon. It would be sun-down soon. _I should be getting back._ Grabbing the squirrel, Firepaw padded off towards camp.

Upon his return, he spotted Blackclaw waiting just outside the camp entrance. "A scrawny squirrel," He commented snidely. "Fitting."

"I caught more prey," Firepaw replied around the squirrel. "I buried it back-"

"Yes, I know. I was watching." Blackclaw whipped around and strode into camp. "You'll be lucky if you get to attend this gathering, kittypet."

 _Arrogant bee-brain!_ Firepaw thought, glaring at the smoky tom as he followed him into camp.

He made three more trips in and out of camp to retrieve his prey. Sitting beside his small pile, he was quite proud. It wasn't as big as Heavypaw or Vixenpaw's, but it was pretty impressive and easily rivaled the other apprentices.

Leopardfur sifted through his collection of fresh-kill. "Hmm. Two starlings, a mouse, two squirrels, three voles, and a finch. Not bad."

Firepaw puffed out his chest proudly. Coming from Leopardfur, 'not bad' was a decent compliment.

"You may all eat," Leopardfur whisked her tail dismissively. "I will speak to Crookedstar." The dappled she-cat turned away and headed for the leader's den.

Firepaw instinctively picked up the finch he had caught to take to Yellowfang, before he remembered it was no longer his task. Glancing at the she-cat, he saw she had a sour expression. _I may as well feed her anyway. Silverpaw probably forgot._ He padded over towards the she-cat and dropped the finch at her paws.

Yellowfang sniffed. "Aren't you supposed to be through with me?"

"Technically," Firepaw shrugged, sitting back on his haunches. He didn't feel very hungry. He was too excited by the prospect of going. "Silverpaw was supposed to care for you today."

"Silverpaw?" Yellowfang frowned. "That bratty upstart who cleaned my ticks earlier?"

"Probably," Firepaw chuckled.

Yellowfang snorted. "I've seen him around. He walks about like he's StarClan's gift to the forest. Too short if you ask me. Stubby legs never does warriors any good."

Firepaw couldn't resist a laugh. "He's pretty arrogant. I was supposed to train with him as my partner in a fight. He refused to work with me _and_ snapped at Leopardfur."

He heard a quiet chuckle before Yellowfang looked at him oddly. "What are you still doing around me?" she asked, tail flicking. "You're not my caretaker anymore."

Firepaw wasn't terribly sure himself. "Well…" he shrugged after a moment. "You don't make terrible company when you aren't trying to bite my head off."

Yellowfang let out a cackle of laughter before she shook her head. "Go eat with your friends and leave me in peace."

Firepaw dipped his head and retreated back to the gaggle of apprentices, who were now swapping prey and boasting about their catches.

"So I _flew_ over this log," Shadepaw was saying. Vixenpaw leaned in, eyes wide. "And that rabbit tried to run. It got hardly a whisker-length before I pounced! And I rolled head-over-tail before I finally got a strong grip on it. Then I pinned it, and, well," She motioned to the plump rabbit before it. "Dinner."

"Okay, but let me tell you about how I caught this-" Grasspaw began.

Crookedstar's call interrupted them. "All cats old enough to swim gather beneath the Rockpile to hear my words!"

"-Nevermind!" Grasspaw turned around quickly, eyes wide. "Come on, Firepaw! Let's find out if we got chosen."

When the clan had gathered, Crookedstar began. "First, before I announce who is attending the gathering, I would like to congratulate Skyheart. In a few days time, she will be moving into the nursery."

Firepaw blinked in surprise before glancing at the warrior. She was sitting tall with pride, eyes bright. _I wonder who the father is?_ He had never noticed Skyheart particularly close to any tom. After a heartbeat, he noticed her tail laying over Reedtail's, who had his chest puffed out.

"In about two moons time, we will have new lives in the clan," Crookedstar purred. "Now, as for the gathering. Those attending will be Whiteclaw, Dawnbright, Skyheart, Reedtail, Loudbelly, Silverstream, Frogleap, Blackclaw, Beetlenose, Voleclaw, Heavypaw, Shadepaw, Grasspaw, Vixenpaw, and Firepaw."

With a slight start, Firepaw realized that nearly every cat in camp had been summoned. _Does Crookedstar want us to look strong?_

Grasspaw pressed against Firepaw. "We're going!" he exclaimed.

Firepaw blinked. _Wait- yes! Crookedstar called my name!_ He jumped up, excitement rushing through him. "What do you think it'll be like?"

"I don't know," Grasspaw purred. "But I bet it'll be great! I bet all the best warriors in the clans will be there! Tigerclaw, Stonefur, Clawface..."

Firepaw nodded, grinning. _I can't believe I'm actually going!_


	13. Chapter 11

**So for some reason the reviews for the last chapter aren't showing up on here when I go back to check them, but I have a number in my email. Oh well.**

 **Reviews:**

 **Shadowlight: Thanks so much! And I guess you'll just have to see who Firepaw ends up with ;).**

 **Guest: Heckie yeah there will be! I've (very vaguely) hinted at someone who will be in one later. I have a feeling it's gone unnoticed, but it'll certainly be more obvious later on.**

 **Foxtail of StormClan: There will be major differences later on. It's pretty similar because the first book is mostly just Firepaw's apprenticeship and there's no major events until the battle with ShadowClan.**

* * *

 _Firepaw peered over the slope into_ Fourtrees, eyes wide with wonder. Below him, a mass of cats had grouped together, and he could hear the chatter of conversation rising from the clans.

"RiverClan," Crookedstar said. "You may join the gathering." He leaped over the slope, and quickly padded down towards the clearing.

"Let's go!" Grasspaw whispered in excitement, before he bounded down. "Race you!"

Purring, Firepaw took to his paws and hared down the slope after him. The two toms ran down into the clearing, jostling one another.

 _Fox-dung!_ Firepaw tried to skid to a halt before he careened straight into a cat who'd strolled into their path.

"Watch it, crow-food!" The big tom spat, tail lashing. "Doesn't RiverClan teach it's apprentices _respect_?"

"S-sorry," Firepaw mumbled, awed by the huge tom. He was even bigger than Beetlenose!

Grasspaw whispered a quick apology before the tom snarled and continued on. When he had gone, Grasspaw straightened. "I think that was Clawface!" he gasped. "He's _huge_!"

"First time?" A young she-cat, about their age, asked, glancing over her shoulder.

Grasspaw dipped his head. "Yep. You smell like ThunderClan."

"And you smell like dead fish," The pale ginger she-cat retorted. "Fitting, being that you're from RiverClan."

"What's your name?" Firepaw asked, tilting his head. He wanted to learn about _all_ the clans, and ThunderClan especially piqued his interest. It was hard _not_ to be curious when these were the cats who'd chased both him and Yellowfang away with the intent of murder. _Graypaw isn't so bad, though._

She stared at him warily for a moment before replying. "Sandpaw. You?"

"I'm Firepaw." The ginger tom sat down, scooting a bit closer.

Sandpaw narrowed her eyes. "I don't remember hearing your name called at the gatherings before."

A familiar gray tom pushed his way through a pair of cats to join them. "That's because you stayed home last time, Sandpaw!"

"Graypaw!" Firepaw purred, glad to see the ThunderClan apprentice.

"Who's this?" He asked, blinking at Grasspaw.

"Grasspaw," the tabby replied. He gave Firepaw an odd look as though confused as to why he was so friendly with the tom.

"So," Firepaw asked. "Who are all the cats by that huge rock?"

"You really don't know?" Sandpaw snorted. Shrugging, she looked up at the three cats perched on top of the huge stone. Firepaw realized that not only Crookedstar was there, but so was _Thistlestar_. "Well, the big gray tom is _my_ leader, Thistlestar. You'll never meet a better fighter than him… Though Tigerclaw, our deputy, certainly can match his strength. He's the big tabby… well, looks like he hasn't taken his seat yet, actually.."

A low voice sounded from behind them. Firepaw felt his neck fur bristle at the sound. "Not giving away ThunderClan secrets, are you, Sandpaw?"

He saw Sandpaw swallow a little. She glanced over her shoulder. "No, Tigerclaw."

Firepaw turned around and stiffened.

Tigerclaw was certainly large, and hard muscles rippled beneath his dark tabby pelt. He had yellow eyes that seemed to pierce right through Firepaw, as though he were already evaluating his weaknesses. Firepaw felt _exposed_ beneath this tom's stare. Thistlestar was terrifying in his own brute force sort of way, but Tigerclaw… Tigerclaw was _cold._ Calculating.

"Ho," Tigerclaw chuckled darkly. "What have we here? I believe I recognize this RiverClan apprentice."

Firepaw swallowed, hard.

"Aren't you that little _kittypet_ we chased off two moons ago? Hmm, that was the battle where Oakheart tragically died, wasn't it?"

Sandpaw recoiled. "You're a _kittypet?_ "

Ears flat, he replied, "I was…"

"Firepaw is a warrior apprentice now!" Grasspaw cut in, jumping to his defense. "He can fight and hunt like any other warrior!"

"I'd like to see that," Tigerclaw flicked his tail. "But I must be on my way. I'm sure Thistlestar won't want to waste any moonlight."

Shouldering past Firepaw, the massive tabby padded away and dissolved quietly into the crowd.

Sandpaw curled her lip. "I can't believe RiverClan accepted a kittypet into their ranks."

Firepaw stared at his paws, scowling. _Why did Tigerclaw have to say that?_

Graypaw rolled his eyes. "Sandpaw's just prickly."

"I guess," Firepaw muttered, and Sandpaw shot a glare at the gray tom.

"I'm going to find Dustpaw," she hissed. "I don't waste time with kittypets."

Firepaw frowned as he watched her go. _So much for that._

"Don't mind her," Graypaw said good-naturedly. "I can finish the introductions. That scary looking tom on the edge of the Great Rock is Brokenstar. He's pretty creepy, isn't he?"

Firepaw stared up at the tom. Brokenstar sat poised, eyes narrowed to slits as he scanned the clans. Firepaw saw the gleam of claws, and noticed that he was gripping the stone with them. Brokenstar had a broad face and a short muzzle, and the tail that whisked over his paws was kinked down the middle. Firepaw shivered. _Yeah. Creepy._

"Hey!" Graypaw mewed after a moment. "You should come meet Ravenpaw. He's skittish, but he tells _great_ stories at gatherings." With a glance at Grasspaw, he added, "You can come too, if you want."

"Alright." Grasspaw stood and together they followed Graypaw as they weaved throughout the clearing.

"Oh!" Graypaw meowed. "On our way, I can show you the medicine cats of our clans." As they headed towards the Great Rock, Firepaw spotted Tigerclaw speaking to a few other warriors of mixed clans.

Tigerclaw scored his claws across the earth. "I wrestled like a LionClan cat. Three warriors tried to hold me but I threw them off without too much difficulty before I tore the she-cat's ear, and sent her screeching back into the river."

 _He's talking about the battle with Oakheart!_ Firepaw found himself stiffening. Sedgecreek had been complaining about some tom who'd torn half her ear off in that battle. Firepaw turned away, throat tightening. _That was when Oakheart died for saving me._

They padded closer towards the rock, and to its left he saw Mudfur with a pawful of other cats. He flicked his tail towards a pretty young tortoiseshell. "That's Spottedleaf, our medicine cat." The gray tom then shifted his gaze towards a smaller gray-and-white tom. "That's Runningnose of ShadowClan."

Firepaw twitched his whiskers. The tom's nose was wet and crusted around the edges. "I can see why they call him _Running_ nose," he purred. "It looks like he can't cure his own cold!"

Runningnose was telling the cats, who were mostly queens and elders, about an old herb that used to grow in ShadowClan. "Moons ago, we used it to cure kit-cough. But now the herb has all died out, and kits have died needlessly from illness without it. I'm still trying to find a replacements."

A ThunderClan queen gasped quietly, and Mudfur laid his tail on the medicine cat's shoulder. "If I figure out anything, I'll let you know. Then again, RiverClan rarely gets any kit-cough."

"Something like that would have never happened in the time of the great clans," A ThunderClan queen sighed.

"Indeed," nodded a tabby ShadowClan she-cat. "The great clans would have destroyed any threat with ease! If TigerClan roamed the forest, no twolegs would dare step foot on our land."

Firepaw jumped a little at a small voice beside them. "What's TigerClan?" Firepaw glanced down to see a tiny black tom staring up at them.

"TigerClan is one of the great clans that roamed the forest generations ago," Graypaw explained to the tiny apprentice. "They were big as horses, the cats of the night, with jet-black stripes. Then there's LionClan. They were…" He frowned, trying to recall.

"Oh!" The black tom squeaked. "I've heard of them! They're big and golden like the sun and have magnificent manes."

"That's it," Graypaw nodded. "And then there was one other… SpottyClan or something."

"I believe you would be thinking of LeopardClan, young Graypaw," came a deep, familiar voice from behind them.

They turned around to see a large golden tom standing still, eyes gleaming in the moonlight. _Lionheart!_ "You have LeopardClan to thank for your speed and agility." After a moment, his gaze traveled to Firepaw. Eyes widening slightly, he meowed, "Hm. Aren't you that kittypet that Graypaw had a scrap with a few moons back?"

Firepaw lifted his chin. _I won't let him think I'm afraid again._ "I'm a RiverClan apprentice."

Lionheart blinked before he nodded. "Well. Congratulations, then." With a slight smile at Graypaw, he added, "So, Graypaw, are you simply forgetful, or do you not appreciate our elders' stories and wisdom?"

"I remembered LionClan," the little ShadowClan apprentice mewed, gazing up at Lionheart with wide eyes.

Lionheart's eyes narrowed as he gazed down at the tom. "You're ShadowClan, aren't you?" When the tom nodded, he asked, "And how many moons are you?"

The tom's eyes widened as he seemed to deflate. "S-six moons," he said quietly.

"Awfully small for six moons," Lionheart stared hard at the apprentice.

"My mother was small, too." The tom gulped before turning away and scurrying away into the crowd.

"Hmm." Lionheart stared after him. "Well, good luck with your training… what was it, your name?"

"Firepaw." The ginger tom was a bit confused. _The apprentice seemed small, but… Does Lionheart suspect he's younger than he said?_

Graypaw looked about ready to set off again in search of the cat he'd called Ravenpaw, a yowl sounded from the Great Rock.

"Where is WindClan?" Demanded an elder as cats hushed. A number of cats yowled their agreement.

As voices fell, Thistlestar raised his head. "WindClan may not have yet arrived, but Brokenstar wishes to speak anyway."

The massive tom stood, dipping his head to Thistlestar before he addressed the gathered clans. "Friends, I come to you tonight to discuss the dire needs of ShadowClan…"

"Where are the WindClan representatives?" Lionheart called, eyes narrowed.

"It is unprecedented to begin without them!" Shouted a one-eyed elder.

"Silence!" Brokenstar roared, drawing himself up to his full height. "As ShadowClan's leader, it is my right to address you here!" His voice was thick with malice, and his tail lashed with fury. Firepaw could practically feel the waves of fear rolling off a number of cats.

Brokenstar began again when it was quiet. "We all know the harsh Leaf-bare and late New-leaf have left us with little prey in our lands. RiverClan and ThunderClan have needlessly lost kits due to starvation, but our kits thrive! However, with so little prey, it is difficult to feed their hungry bellies in our territory."

As the crowd listened anxiously, Firepaw bristled. _You're a coward, is what!_ He could sense the scorn and frustration from his clanmates, who already knew what was coming.

"The needs of ShadowClan are simple," Brokenstar said. "The other clans _must_ share their hunting grounds with us."

"Must?" A white warrior rose, eyes blazing.

"Clans have never shared hunting rights!" Yowled another ThunderClan elder. "This is outrageous!"

" _Must_ ," Brokenstar growled, eyeing the warrior. "Should our kits be punished for being stronger? WindClan failed to understand reason, and in the end, we were forced to drive them from their territory."

 _Forced!_ Firepaw thought indignantly.

"What?" Graypaw whispered. "That's… he can't!"

"It's already done," Grasspaw hissed.

"I have already agreed with Brokenstar's proposal," Crookedstar said. "They are allowed to take fish from the river."

"Cowards!" Hissed a ThunderClan queen. Anger and humiliation rose from the RiverClan warriors in their mutters and snarls.

"I feel it is best for our clan- for _all_ clans. There is no need to spill blood over prey when RiverClan has plenty to spare." Crookedstar sighed resignedly.

 _Wait…_ Firepaw narrowed his eyes. _Crookedstar said they could take_ fish _from the river. ShadowClan could never learn to fish like we do!_ He found himself smiling a little. _At least they won't be too much of a bother._

"What of you, Thistlestar?" Tigerclaw growled, eyeing his leader. "Have you accepted this ridiculous idea?"

"I have agreed upon nothing other than that I shall discuss it with my clan when we return," Thistlestar said, though the clench in his jaw revealed the thinly veiled anger he bared.

"I will not ask for your answer tonight," Brokenstar said, voice thick with arrogance after Crookedstar's statement. After a moment, he spoke again. "My friends, I have one more matter to discuss with you- one that involves the safety of all your kits."

A ripple of worry and anger rippled through the clans, and Firepaw dug his claws into the grass. Was this another threat, or a legitimate warning?"

"One of our cats has spurned the warrior code and turned rogue," Brokenstar explained. "She looks like a mangy stray, but has a bite like TigerClan. I urge you to put an end to her if you see her… and to keep a close eye on your kits until she is stopped."

Firepaw's eyes widened. _Is he talking about Yellowfang?_ Looking around, he saw a number of other RiverClan warriors bristling and snarling, sharing glances- it was clear they were all thinking of one cat.

Yellowfang.

 _No!_ Firepaw flattened his ears. _Yellowfang might be a grouch, but she would never harm kits…_ Flinching, he recalled when she had lashed out at Stormkit. _But she was upset and startled. I refuse to believe she'd_ endanger _a kit!_

Brokenstar leaped down from the Great Rock. Exchanging glances, Crookedstar and Thistlestar followed suit. "This gathering is over!" Thistlestar yowled.

"Bye, Firepaw," Graypaw meowed, his voice tense. Waving his tail in farewell, the tom spun around and hurried to join his clanmates.

Firepaw stared after his own clanmates, ears pricked as he heard their conversation.

"It must be Yellowfang!" Beetlenose spat.

"She did attack Mallowtail's smallest kit…" Petaldust growled, hackles raising.

"I knew it was trouble to keep her!" Loudbelly snarled, scoring his claws across the earth. "We must put a stop to her!"

Heart racing, Firepaw backed away. _I have to warn her!_ He whipped around and broke into a hard sprint across the clearing and up the slope. A few cats glanced his way, but none seemed to take notice or care.

Panting, the ginger tom glanced over his shoulder at his clanmates. Most looked furious, with eyes narrowed to slots and lashing tails as they grouped together.

Firepaw's throat tightened with determination as he ran off again towards home. A seed of worry rooted itself in the back of his mind. If he helped Yellowfang now, would he be risking his own position in RiverClan?


	14. Chapter 12

**Don't worry, guys, there's plenty more chapters to come. I've just been really busy these past couple weeks.**

 **Reviews:**

 **Booklover1810: Thanks! I'm honestly not sure yet who Firepaw is going to end up with. I've considered a few possibilities but it's really anyone's game right now. I'm definitely not planning on him becoming anyone's mate in this book, but it may be built upon in the second.**

 **Mike: Thanks so much! At the moment it's on hiatus. I'm not planning to cancel it, but it's a lot more work than this story, because the plot is drastically different. I've already figured out the majority of the plot set for this story, but Broken is still being figured out. Also, this Stormkit is a completely different cat. The original series are missing a LOT of characters from their allegiances so it's pretty much up to me to make up new characters. Half-clan warriors and their parents is _definitely_ going to explored in future books, but not so much in this one. But you're very right about Thistlestar and Tigerclaw's policies being pretty similar- after all, Thistlestar taught Tigerclaw everything he knows.**

 **Guest: I'm so very tempted... _so very tempted..._ Like I said, Firepaw's future mate isn't determined yet and at the moment it could seriously be _anyone_ his age. (But let me tell you- while it won't happen in here, I'm lowkey a huge Fire/Gray/Raven shipper)**

 **And thanks to everyone else who reviewed!**

* * *

Firepaw's _paws drummed across the hard_ surface of the twoleg bridge as he raced across it. His heart was beating out of his chest and his lungs burned for air and relief.

When Firepaw finally reached the reed wall of RiverClan, he hurried through the camp entrance, panting heavily. Without giving himself more than a heartbeat to rest, he hurried across camp to where Yellowfang was curled in a stiff ball. "Yellowfang!" He called, prodding her. "Wake up!"

With a huff, the she-cat raised her head, orange eyes glowing in the darkness. "I wasn't sleeping."

"You have to get away," Firepaw told her, ears angling back as he heard yowls of his returning clanmates. "Now! Brokenstar said a rogue was loose and they think it's you!"

Yellowfang simply shifted and grunted. "So Brokenstar kept his promise."

Firepaw frowned. "What promise?"

With a hiss of disgust, Yellowfang said, "ShadowClan's noble leader vowed to drive me from every corner of the four clans' territories." She spat with distaste. "What did he say about me?"

Firepaw kneaded his paws anxiously. "He said you'd spurned the warrior code and had gone rogue and that we had to kill you. And that until then, we'd better keep an eye on our kits. He never mentioned you by name, but my clanmates put two and two together…" Shaking his head, he growled, "But that doesn't matter! You need to leave, before they hurt you!"

Yellowfang watched him without moving. With a heavy sigh, she only shifted slightly, and said, "Firepaw, I've been running for far too long. Perhaps RiverClan will listen to the truth. Perhaps they won't. But I'm old and I'm tired and I'm done running."

Firepaw winced as he heard his clanmates pushing their way through the camp entrance. "Yellowfang!" Blackclaw yowled. "Where is she?"

"Blackclaw!" Crookedstar snapped. He parted his jaws to say something else, before Whiteclaw shot forward towards Yellowfang.

"Kit-killer!" The white tom spat as he leaped for her.

"Get away from her!" Firepaw shouted, rearing up on his hind legs to meet the warrior's attack. Whiteclaw slammed into him, heavy as a boulder, and the two rolled head-over-heels, spitting and clawing.

"Stop this madness this instant!" Crookedstar roared, and Firepaw froze as the two toms broke apart. _I've never heard him so angry._

Whiteclaw let out a low hiss, but made no move towards Yellowfang, who had jumped back to avoid the fighting toms. She was staring at Firepaw with wide eyes. "She should be killed before she harms my kits!"

Firepaw felt an odd prick of sympathy for the warrior. _He's afraid for his kits._ As much as he hated the white tom, he could, in a sense, see where he was coming from. _But Yellowfang doesn't deserve this!_

"Yellowfang has killed no cat I know of," Crookedstar growled. "And we cannot be sure of whom Brokenstar spoke of- he himself has spurned the code!"

A few cats nodded in agreement. "I guess that's true…" Petaldust muttered.

"We must allow Yellowfang to speak for herself, otherwise we are no better than ShadowClan and Brokenstar." Crookedstar fixed Whiteclaw with a stern look. "I understand your need to protect your kits, Whiteclaw, but that does not justify harming a cat who has yet to have been proven of any crime."

"Fine," Whiteclaw hissed, backing away. His tail lashed furiously before he sat down and licked his chest fur.

"Yellowfang," Crookedstar said, turning to the she-cat. "Brokenstar has implied that you are a danger to our kits. Is this true? And if not, why would he spread such lies about you?"

Yellowfang drew herself up. Firepaw could smell no fear-scent on her, but she seemed to be shaking. "I served as ShadowClan's medicine cat long before many of you were kitted- and before that, I was a warrior. I watched Brokenstar grow from a playful kit to a bloodthirsty warrior… and many days I wish I could have done something to stop him."

"How can you speak of your own leader that way?" Skyheart asked, curling her lip.

"He is no leader of mine," Yellowfang spat. "Let me finish. He was eager as an apprentice, and much more so as a warrior. He urged his father, Raggedstar, to fight against WindClan many more times than some of us would have liked. In one of these battles, our deputy, Cloudpelt, was fatally wounded and died a few days later. He was nothing like Brokenstar- he cared for our wellbeing, and perhaps the forest would be in a time of peace if he had succeeded Raggedstar."

"Brokenstar was then named our deputy. Hardly a pawful of moons later, Raggedstar died in another battle and Brokenstar became leader. Everything changed then." Yellowfang's voice became tight with pain as she told her story. "He forced three-moon old kits to fight and train as apprentices with claws unsheathed. Many of our kits never even _saw_ battle, because they died in Brokenstar's vicious training. Others died in senseless wars because they were too fragile to fight."

The clan had grown solemn by now, and most were shuffling closer, heads low. Firepaw felt a stab of pity in his chest. _Imagine if Mallowtail's kits were training right now… They're too small to fight properly. ThunderClan would eat them for breakfast._

"Moons passed," Yellowfang continued. "I tried time and time again to reason with Brokenstar to stop the training. Our kits were dying, and I could not do nothing. I'd begun to hope that perhaps Brokenstar's countless battles would claim his lives and end this. I was too blind to see what he would do." Yellowfang lowered her head, staring at her paws. Firepaw could see the raw pain in her narrowed eyes. "He murdered the kits of my mother's second litter. They were hardly more than a moon old before they went missing. I found them, still warm and soaked in their own blood. Who else could my clan blame but me? I will not deny that I am a bitter cat, but I would never murder my own youngest sisters. Brokenstar put the blame on me, and I was exiled from my clan."

Silence fell upon the clan for a long moment. Firepaw stared at Yellowfang in horror. _Brokenstar seemed pretty bad… but I can't believe he would do something this… this terrible._

To Firepaw's surprise, Mallowtail approached Yellowfang first. The queen's tail was low. "I'm sorry," she murmured to Yellowfang. "I never should have been so cruel. I realize now I jumped to conclusions."

Yellowfang shrugged, but Firepaw could sense the relief coming from her. "I understand," she replied. "You only wished to protect your kits." Firepaw caught the low whisper of Yellowfang. "Nothing a kit does can sever that bond."

 _What was that supposed to mean?_ Firepaw thought, frowning. _Yellowfang said she'd never had kits…_ He shook his head. _I shouldn't doubt her word. She's probably seen so many queens in her lifetime that she knows by experience._

Crookedstar rose. "Yellowfang, I am sorry to hear what you have been through. I believe what you've said, and considering it, I would like to invite you to stay here in RiverClan- not as a prisoner, but of your own will."

Yellowfang looked up, surprised. "Really?" she rasped.

"Yes," Crookedstar nodded. "You have been through too much for me to throw you out without it weighing on my conscience. I believe your experience and wisdom could help us greatly- not only in our clan life, but in someday defeating Brokenstar as well."

Yellowfang narrowed her eyes as she nodded. "I accept, then. I do not want to see my clan destroyed… but Brokenstar has begun to ruin them with his leadership. If you plan to overthrow him, I will be glad to help you."

"So be it," Crookedstar said. "Yellowfang is no longer a prisoner of RiverClan. She is free to stay here or leave of her own accord. Treat her with the respect you would any elder or medicine cat."

Firepawwas surprised- but very glad- to see that only a few cats muttered their disagreement. Others seemed not to care, and departed towards their dens.

Mudfur padded towards Yellowfang. "Perhaps you'd like to share my den?" he offered. "It's much less drafty in there- you'll wake up without sore bones, that's for sure."

Yellowfang nodded. "Thank you. I suppose I will."

Firepaw let out a purr before he turned away towards the apprentices' den. He was glad that this was resolved peacefully, and that Yellowfang was choosing to settle in RiverClan. He could congratulate her in the morning… but for now, he was exhausted, and felt he needed a long rest. _Let's just hope I don't get the dawn patrol tomorrow._


	15. Chapter 13

**Before we get into it- while I realize it's been about a month since I last updated,** _ **please**_ **stop asking if this story is dead or not. Here's the answer- it's not, and it won't be any time soon. I'm just away at semester school and have an incredibly busy schedule and just don't have the time to update as often as I'd like to.**

 **Anyways, since y'all are so curious as to who Firepaw's future mate will be- I made a poll on my profile for just that! The results won't necessarily determine it, but I'm curious as to who you're all rooting for, especially since there** _ **are**_ **a couple of pairings that are set in stone. (And who knows- maybe it** _ **will**_ **somewhat sway me, as his mate isn't determined at all.) If you have hopes for cats not included in the poll, feel free to shoot me a PM with your ship.**

 **Reviews:**

 **Guest- Pairings for apprentices won't really be in until the next book at the soonest- other than** _ **maybe**_ **one, but it will likely only be implied and won't actually be a solid relationship until thin, and** _ **won't**_ **be involving Firepaw.**

 **Guest Who- Oakheart was deputy, but he was alive for such a short portion of the story that I just didn't see the point of listing him.**

 **Foxdawn- You'll just have to wait and see!**

 **Guest- Again, there's no plan at the moment as to who Firepaw's mate will be. Also, I think you're confused as to what I meant by some tortoiseshells being able to have kits? I meant they can rarely** _ **breed with**_ **queens, not that they can be pregnant themselves.**

 **sierra- I don't think Silverpaw will necessarily be like Darkstripe (although maybe you and others will see him that way), because I do plan on giving him some background in the future that will explain his attitude and hatred for Firepaw. And I think you've also got the same misconception as the previous guest (unless I'm totally misreading what you meant, I'm super tired), but toms can't bear kits. Tortoiseshell toms are almost always sterile, but there are rare cases when they can breed with she-cats and the she-cat will have his kits.**

* * *

 _Firepaw dropped his blackbird as he heard_ the crunching of twigs. Instantly, he was on alert- ears pricked and eyes scoping his surroundings. He couldn't place the scent of whatever was ahead, past the blackberry bushes. _Is it a fox?_ He thought, scraping leaves over his catch. _Or a badger? Or an enemy warrior?_

Firepaw crept around the thorny bushes to see five cats moving about quietly. He narrowed his eyes as the scent of mud and pine sap reached his nostrils. _ShadowClan_. Four of the cats were fully grown, while the fifth was a very small apprentice. _He's only just bigger than Mallowtail's kits._

Firepaw then let out a low growl as he realized the cats were carrying a bounty of prey. The largest warrior had two squirrels clenched in his jaws, while each other cat was carrying at least one catch a piece- one even had _three_ water voles.

The apprentice dropped his catch, a small frog. "There's so much prey here!" he said. "Much better than the Carrionplace rats."

"Hush," a she-cat growled, setting down a fat, young rabbit. "You'll bring RiverClan upon us."

"But I thought we were allowed to hunt!" He looked up at the tortoiseshell she-cat curiously. "Why would they care?"

"Because they seem to think there are certain terms in place that simply _aren't,_ " she growled in contempt. "But those fish-faces have so much fish in the river that they won't notice this unless _someone_ opens their big mouth a bit too much, Whitepaw."

"Come on," A dark tom growled. "I don't like this. Something about this place rubs my fur the wrong way."

"Fine," The she-cat replied, snatching up her kill. "Come, Whitepaw."

As they retreated, Firepaw growled again under his breath. _Those crow-food eaters!_ He turned around and grabbed his blackbird. _They went back on their word! I have to tell Crookedstar._

* * *

"They _what?_ " Leopardfur demanded, bristling. Her tail whipped across the moss-covered ground of Crookedstar's den like a furious snake.

Firepaw nodded, eyes narrowed to slits. "They looked like they'd spent the whole day hunting."

Crookedstar let out a growl. "I will discuss this with my senior warriors. Thank you, Firepaw, you did well to come back with this as soon as you did." The tom's twisted jaw tightened. "I will not let this be ignored."

Firepaw took that as a sign he was dismissed, and so the fiery tom bowed his head and retreated from the den. He turned away from the reed-woven den and headed towards the fresh-kill pile to grab something to eat. Vixenpaw was picking through already, and Shadepaw was munching on a young trout.

"Hey, Firepaw," Vixenpaw called. The black she-cat seemed a tad skittish at the moment, though Firepaw wasn't sure why should be. Her tail was flicking about nervously, and her eyes moved quickly from object to object.

"Hello," Firepaw replied, furrowing his brow in confusion. _What's wrong with her?_

"You can finish this if you want," Shadepaw offered to Vixenpaw, pushing the remaining fish towards the other she-cat. "I've had my fill."

"Oh!" Vixenpaw purred, which only further confused Firepaw. Vixenpaw hardly acted this upbeat. "Sure. Thanks, Shadepaw!"

The dark gray she-cat gave Vixenpaw an odd look before she glanced between Firepaw and Vixenpaw. Her features split into an amused grin before she turned away and padded off. "I'll leave you two to eat."

Firepaw watched her go. _Okay, this is officially the strangest interaction I've ever seen._ He frowned. _Shadepaw was acting like she knew something…_ He shook it off. _I'm just reading into things._ "So, I saw ShadowClan today."

Vixenpaw's ears pricked with interest. "Really? I've seen them a bit, but usually near the border along the river. They're pretty quick to move on if they spot me, though."

Firepaw let out a little growl. "They broke the agreement with Crookedstar about hunting. I saw them absolutely loaded with fresh-kill, and none of it from the river."

Vixenpaw's eyes widened, and she bristled. "How dare they!" She spat. "Those mangy flea-bags! I wasn't happy when Crookedstar said he'd given them hunting rights, but this is outrageous. He _has_ to do something about them now."

Firepaw nodded sharply. _I don't really want to go to war with ShadowClan… but if they're not only disregarding the Code,_ and _are breaking the agreement… They have to be taught a lesson. ShadowClan is out of control!_ "I thought ThunderClan was bad, but they're terrible."

Vixenpaw tossed her head furiously. "All the other Clans are greedy for our land. Well, I guess WindClan is an exception, but still! Nothing will ever satisfy them."

Firepaw blinked and jolted slightly as he recalled how Graypaw had told him nearly the same thing when they first met. " _The other Clans are always trying to steal prey from our territory, especially ShadowClan!"_ Firepaw frowned and looked away. _Do all the Clans just fight because each thinks that all the others are always out to get them?_ The politics and motives of the four Clans, including his own, baffled young Firepaw at times.

Vixenpaw huffed again when Firepaw said nothing in return. "I hope we fight them," she declared. "See how much they'd like to hunt here after they feel my claws in their fur!"

Firepaw found himself nodding. ShadowClan _was_ causing far too much trouble for their Clan, and they'd reached a point where talking would solve nothing. _Sometimes,_ he thought, _force_ is _the only way to solve these issues._

He cast a glance over his shoulder at Crookedstar's den. "I suppose we'll just have to wait and see."

* * *

The sun was dipping low on the horizon by the time Crookedstar left his den, flanked by Leopardfur, Blackclaw, Skyheart, Voleclaw, Petaldust, and Beetlenose, who all had narrowed eyes and twitching tails. Crookedstar quickly ascended the Rockpile and let out a yowl. "All cats gather beneath the Rockpile to hear my words!"

The formality was practically unnecessary- nearly everyone who had not met with Crookedstar was awaiting news anxiously. The senior warriors of the Clan dispersed and took their seats, but their grim expressions did not change.

"My clanmates," Crookedstar began, voice heavy with tiredness. "As some of you may know, ShadowClan has breached our hunting agreement and has taken more than their allowed share of our prey."

Outraged yowls sounded from across the Clan.

"I knew those fox-hearts would!" Whiteclaw shouted.

"We should fight back!" Sunfish declared boldly.

Even Silverpaw threw his head back in defiance. "Those rats need to pay!"

Firepaw sat silently, tail whisking about anxiously. _What has he decided?_

Crookedstar waited for the complaints to die down before speaking again. "My friends, I hear your outrage, and I agree. What ShadowClan has done is wrong- we put trust into them with something as sacred as our own land and hunting rights, which they have infringed upon." He paused again as a few cats yowled in agreement. "I have discussed this matter with my most experienced warriors, and it is not a straightforward issue."

"Well?" Frogleap demanded. "What will we do?"

"We will prepare," Crookedstar declared. "But we will not fight- not just yet. Hold back your complaints until after I finish, because I have much to say." His stern glare scanned the Clan before he continued. "ShadowClan has the upper hand for the moment. They are using not only our territory for hunting, but WindClan's, too- so they are likely very well-fed and have clearly no fear of us." Crookedstar lashed his tail. "However, they are not expecting resistance, at least not from us. My plan is this- from now on, we _will_ challenge them when they hunt here, and we _will_ fight for our prey. But, not only our land… we will hunt on WindClan's empty territory and challenge patrols we come across there as well."

Leopardfur raised her chin. "They will not be expecting resistance, but they will also not be expecting an offense from us. When we are ready, and our apprentices have been properly trained for battle, we will bring the true fight right to the heart of their camp."

Crookedstar dipped his head. "For now, however, we will fight in this way. Are there any issues with this?"

Firepaw was nearly surprised to see that most of the Clan had the opposite reaction. Cats were either nodding in excitement or whispering to one another, eyes bright. This plot brought a new sense of hope to them- they were not helpless in this mouse-brained situation.

Crookedstar nodded shortly, as though pleased he received no argument. "Then before this meeting is done, I would like to have patrols stationed at the ShadowClan border and Twoleg bridge. The next time they come hunting, they will leave with nothing but the scars of our claws."

"Silverstream," Crookedstar called, and the pretty silver tabby looked up. Firepaw glanced at her for a long moment. Though she seemed friendly, Firepaw had honestly barely interacted with the leader's daughter- in a way, she seemed a bit distant from most her clanmates. "I want you to take the Twoleg bridge. Bring Heavypaw, Blackclaw, Whiteclaw, and Loudbelly with you."

"Got it." Silverstream nodded.

"Leopardfur," Crookedstar went on. "Your patrol will be stationed at the falls. Take Sedgecreek, Dawnbright, Sunfish, Frogleap, Silverpaw, and Grasspaw with you. And finally, Beetlenose-" He glanced at the dark warrior. "-You will be just outside of Fourtrees, within sight of the Twoleg path towards the bridge. When the ShadowClan patrol comes, you will follow from behind and cut off their escape when Silverstream's patrol engages them. Take Petaldust, Reedtail, Skyheart, Vixenpaw, Shadepaw, and Firepaw with you. I will remain in camp to bring reinforcements if necessary."

Firepaw started as he realized _he_ had been chosen to be in the third patrol, and after a heartbeat, began to wonder if Crookedstar was over preparing. _Three full battle patrols against a single hunting party… why is he so determined to show them we can fight? One challenging patrol would be enough, but it sounds more like we're plotting to slaughter them…_ Firepaw felt a chill run down his spine. _If they'd been discovered sooner, it could have been that tiny Whitepaw fighting all of us._

* * *

Firepaw pressed himself farther back into the bush. His senses were on high alert, and every muscle in his body was prepared for the coming fight.

They had been waiting long past sun-down when Beetlenose cautioned them. "Shh… ShadowClan warriors approaching."

Firepaw narrowed his eyes as he saw six dark shapes striding confidently down the twoleg path. His emotions and thoughts were an utter mess- on one hand, he felt a bitter resentment towards these egotistical, treacherous cats, and couldn't wait to sink his claws into their flea-ridden pelts… but on the other, he felt a mixture of confusion and pity- what was driving them so far across their borders for food? Was it just a greed for power over others, like many suspected, or was there more to ShadowClan than met the eye? Were these cats all as eager for blood and land as their leader, or did some quietly oppose Brokenstar's reign? Whatever the answers were, Firepaw felt the situation was more complex than others would like to think, and wasn't sure how to feel about three battle-ready patrols against this hunting party.

As the patrol started to head farther and farther down the trail, Beetlenose let out a quiet growl. "Now. Move quietly. Let's go."

Firepaw swallowed as he stepped from the shadows. No matter how this night turned out, he knew he would have that twisting feeling of pity in his gut for the unsuspecting warriors for a long time to come.


	16. Chapter 14

**Hey y'all! I think being at my semester school is really starting to affect how I talk... I keep catching myself saying "y'all" and "highkey" so much now it's not even funny. (Well, it kind of is.) There's luckily been a tiny lull in work (and drama, dear lord there's been drama galore), so I had time to crank out this chapter pretty easily and I'm happy with how it turned out. This is a pretty big turning point in the story, so I'm pretty excited for that. Plus, I've got what I hope are some good major plot arcs for the following books, so I can't wait to get to those points in this series!**

 **Reviews:**

 **sierra: Haha, no worries. And you'll just have to wait and see! I will admit that I have it narrowed down a _bit-_ I've already got one solid pairing I have planned and a couple others that are being considered, so I have some idea of potential candidates. As for Silverstream and Graystripe, you'll have to wait until book two to find out!**

 **Hatakefire: Aw, thank you so much! That really means a lot for you to say that.**

 **Gayatri: Well, since the fire isn't until book four, you'll just have to wait and see!**

* * *

 _It was not long before Firepaw_ heard the confrontation begin.

"What is the meaning of this?" A deep ShadowClan voice snarled. Firepaw strained his neck- it seemed to be a large, dark tom who was leading the patrol.

Silverstream stepped forward confidently, standing at the very edge of the twoleg bridge, head and tail raised in defiance. "We know that ShadowClan has abused the _privilege_ we gave them to fish in our river. Turn back now and don't return."

Firepaw heard the tom scoff scornfully. "You're outnumbered. Being Crookedstar's daughter doesn't grant you any special privileges of being able to order _me_ around, fish-face. _You_ step aside- we came here to hunt, and we _will_ hunt."

Silverstream spat. "You made a mistake coming here tonight, frog-breath!"

As soon as the words left her mouth, she lunged forward with a screeched and smashed into the tom. In a heartbeat, the bridge was alive with the sounds of battle.

Vixenpaw made as though to dash forward, but Beetlenose stopped her. "Not yet. Let Silverstream's patrol hit them properly."

Firepaw watched anxiously as the two patrols writhed and screeched in battle. Heavypaw delivered a stunning blow to a young she-cat's head as two small ShadowClan apprentices swiped at Loudbelly- but their eyes were wide with fear.

The large tom tore himself from Silverstream, leaving a clump of fur in her jaws. His eyes seemed to flicker towards the two apprentices- clearly still kits- before he yowled, "Fine! ShadowClan, retreat!"

Silverstream spat out the fur, eyes glittering in the moonlight. "Coward!" She shouted, tail lashing. "Don't come back!"

"Brokenstar will hear of this!" He snarled in return. His clanmates retreated quickly, and he turned to flee.

Beetlenose let out a low growl. "Now we strike."

Firepaw felt his heart wrench- he had seen, for a moment, a flicker of compassion in the leading tom when he gazed at the small kits. Firepaw was certain he tried to retreat to save them, but now the lives of kits were going to be in danger again.

As the patrol hurried towards them, Beetlenose charged forward with a yowl. The patrol skidded to a halt, confusion and shock clear in their eyes. They were _not_ expecting to have their escape cut off. Throat tight, Firepaw leaped into the fray as the battle began again.

"I _told you_ coming here was a mistake!" Silverstream yowled, leading her patrol back towards the battle as she leaped for a startled she-cat.

Firepaw found himself facing up with a battle-scarred tom that only seemed just older than him. The young tom's eyes were narrowed to slits. " _You're_ the cowards!" The young tom snarled, lunging forward. "No honorable warrior fights like this!"

Firepaw flinched as he ducked away- the young cat's words weren't wrong. They'd cut off the escape route of a retreating patrol and were endangering two small kits who likely had little to no battle training. However, as Firepaw turned again to face his attacker, he felt a spark of anger- _No honorable warrior forces other Clans to give up hunting rights, either!_

Firepaw lashed out with a paw, claws unsheathed, and felt a ripple of satisfaction as his claws tore through the unsuspecting brown tom's ear. The young warrior stepped back, shaking blood from his face, and Firepaw took the opportunity to pounce, springing forward and shoving the warrior off his paws. Firepaw quickly pinned the tom- but not before letting out a yowl as the tom pummeled his belly with sharp blows from his hind legs. Winded, Firepaw stumbled back, gasping for breath.

Before he could compose himself, Vixenpaw and Shadepaw were on the enemy tom. The two she-cats moved fluidly- matching blow for blow, and making groom for the other to strike without needing to tell the other what to do. The she-cats put up a fierce offense, and the tom was forced to continually step back without having a chance to counter.

As Firepaw regained his breath, he felt thorn-sharp claws in his tail and whipped about to face his attacker. Teeth bared, Firepaw prepared to attack- only to still himself as he found one of the small kits facing up to him, completely puffed up in a way that could be found comical if not for the situation at hand. Firepaw felt that familiar sting of pity- despite the brave face, the little kit's eyes were wide with fear, and they were trembling all over.

Firepaw let his shoulders sag. The kit was scratched up terribly, and yet they still were trying to fight… _What kind of training does Brokenstar give these poor kits?_ "Go home," he sighed. "Please, for your own sake."

"I c-can't!" He squeaked fearfully, shaking even harder. "Mousepaw f-f-fell down and won't wake up! I can't leave without her!"

Firepaw's heart wrenched. _All of this is so, so wrong._ "You have to go," he tried. "Otherwise you might get hurt like Mousepaw."

The kit looked down at his little paws. "I-I dunno how to. I dunno where home is."

Firepaw swallowed and glanced back at the screeching tangle of warriors. Silverstream and Blackclaw were pinning the large gray tom to the ground while he spat and clawed furiously. The young tom Firepaw had faced earlier was bleeding heavily from a gash on his stomach, and yet he continued to fight, scoring his claws across Vixenpaw's face. Two she-cats, one with a graying muzzle and one who looked no more than a young apprentice, were fighting back to back against Whiteclaw, Loudbelly, and Reedtail.

And finally, a tiny gray shape lay limp in a pool of blood, Skyheart standing over it with eyes wide with horror while Beetlenose looked on with a cold expression.

Firepaw's jaw tightened. Though Skyheart was standing over the limp kit, it was Beetlenose who had paws bathed with fresh blood.

 _I have to take this kit out of the fight._ He looked down at the trembling kit who had shut his eyes tight. "Alright. I'm going to pick you up and carry you to the border. You wait there until the battle is over or another patrol comes. Okay?"

The kit squeaked fearfully and scrambled back. "No! You're an enemy warrior! You'll _eat_ me!"

Firepaw shook his head and stepped forward. "I won't. The warrior code says cats should not kill unless absolutely necessary, and it also says that no kit, no matter what the Clan, should be harmed by any cat."

The kitten stared up at him in confusion. "I never… Brokenstar didn't teach us those parts."

"I'm going to help you," Firepaw said firmly before he quickly ducked down and snatched the kit by his scruff. The kit let out a startled yowl and began to wail piteously.

The stocky gray tom let out a roar at the sound. " _Cedarpaw_!"

Firepaw took to his paws and began to run. _Maybe if they think I'm stealing Cedarpaw they'll try harder to escape!_

He felt bushes and bracken whip his sides as his paws skimmed the grass before he reached the firm dirt twoleg path. Firepaw could hear his paws drumming against the compact earth just under Cedarpaw's continual squealing. A furious yowl sounded from behind him- at least one cat had tore away from the skirmish and was following him.

Firepaw pushed himself harder. The run was not easy- certainly not with Cedarpaw's small body bumping and knocking against his chest while the kit wailed and flailed in distress- but he forced himself to keep going. He could soon taste the acrid, bitter scent of the Thunderpath on his tongue, and knew he was close.

Firepaw slowed to a halt as he saw the smooth black surface stretched out before him. Ears pricked, the apprentice crept closer. _Do I risk crossing?_ If the ShadowClan warriors caught up to him as he was returning, he would be crowfood. A fight on the Thunderpath was _not_ a safe battle by any means.

Firepaw gently set the kit down and nosed him towards a bush. "Stay right there," he ordered. "And don't you dare try crossing the Thunderpath until your patrol comes back- you'll be squashed by a monster before you can say 'mouse'."

Cedarpaw stared up at him with wide, terrified eyes. "Th… thank you!" he finally squeaked. "You saved me. I won't forget about you!"

Firepaw blinked and nodded. He was surprised by the feeling of warmth that he felt as Cedarpaw retreated into the bush. _Even if I get in trouble… I'm glad I saved him._

As Firepaw turned around to head back towards the battle, he was faced by the snarling, furious gray ShadowClan tom. The stocky cat was bleeding from countless wounds- an ear had been shredded to ribbons, his shoulders and back were riddled with cuts and bites, and a chunk of fur was missing from the base of his tail. And yet, the tom glared at him with such ferocity as Firepaw faced him, and the apprentice could not help but feel respect for the cat's fierce stubbornness to go on in his state.

"Cedarpaw," The tom spat. "What did you do with him?"

Firepaw forced his fur to lie flat as he jerked his head towards the dense bush the kit was hidden in. "I carried him here so he wouldn't get killed like the other apprentice… Mousepaw, he said." Firepaw stared evenly back at the tom.

There was a flicker of pain in the tom's gaze, but it was quickly replaced by confusion. "You saved my son," he said. "Why? We were on your territory, and we were in battle… what compelled you to leave your clanmates to save mine?"

Firepaw's tail twitched. "It wasn't about my Clan," he responded shortly. "And it wasn't about yours. It was about saving a kit- a kit that _both_ our Clans put in danger. The Warrior Code says we shall not let harm come to kits, so I saved him."

The tom stared at him for many moments silently, seeming slightly stunned. "The code…" he murmured. "Brokenstar has thrown it away." He quickly shook his head and turned his fierce stare back on to Firepaw. "This doesn't change things," he growled, stepping forward. However, Firepaw noticed he had sheathed his claws. "But I won't forget this. You're that kittypet apprentice, aren't you?"

Firepaw nodded curtly, but refrained from growling. "Yes."

"Huh." The tom was quiet again before he spoke a few moments later. "I thought you were weak, like others do. But maybe you're strong in ways others aren't… in ways _I'm_ not. My last apprentice died like Mousepaw did… I should have known better."

The tom passed Firepaw and nosed under the bush before pulling the tiny Cedarpaw out from under the bush. He gave his son a quick lick over the ears, and Firepaw watched the quiet smile of relief that passed over the tom's features. The ShadowClan warrior glanced at him again. "...Thank you, kittypet."

"Firepaw." The apprentice flicked his tail. "It's Firepaw."

The tom seemed surprised, but he quickly shook it off. "Hmm. Okay." He rose again, and glanced down at his son. "My name is Flintfang." Flintfang looked back at Firepaw again, expression neutral. "My patrol is coming this way. I'd leave if I were you. We're sorely beaten, but I won't stop them if they attack you."

Firepaw dipped his head. _He's bluffing, but I'll let him leave with his dignity._ The cat had nearly lost his son, and clearly had history with losing young cats like Mousepaw in battle. Flintfang deserved to be able to go home.

The apprentice turned away again, and glanced back over his shoulder at the pair. "Goodbye. Don't come back here. Crookedstar is not taking this lightly." There was no hint of aggression in Firepaw's tone- just the tired, simple facts, that Firepaw wished hadn't been forced to happen in the first place. Muscles already stiff from the hard sprint, Firepaw lowered his head and trudged back towards the Twoleg bridge.

Tonight would be a victory for his Clan, but Firepaw didn't feel victorious.

* * *

" _You_!" Blackclaw screeched as Firepaw came back into view. "I saw you, you wretched coward! You took off at the first sign of battle!"

Firepaw furiously raised his head to defend himself, but Vixenpaw quickly jumped to his defense. "That's not true!" The black she-cat retorted. "He was fighting- I _helped_ him with one of those warriors!"

Firepaw pushed past her, but gave her a grateful blink. _I have to stick up for myself sometimes._ "I was saving a kit's life."

"It's true," Skyheart agreed, her voice thick with grief. She seemed to be one of the few affected in the same way Firepaw was- she had seen the torn body of little Mousepaw, and she was probably thinking of her future kits and how they could end up if this grew into an all-out war. "One of the kits with them died, and Firepaw carried the other one away."

"And what good does _that_ do?" Beetlenose spat scornfully. "Those cats were named apprentices- like it or not, their Clan doesn't consider them kits, so neither do I."

Leopardfur cuffed him over the ear furiously. "Frog-brain!" She hissed. "The Warrior Code stands for a reason. That kit had no reason to die- she was forced into apprenticeship and to battle far too early, and you know it. I don't want to hear any more of this. We're going back to camp."

Firepaw shared a tired glance with Vixenpaw. Though none of them were bad off wounds-wise, Vixenpaw was sporting a long scratch across her muzzle that was starting to become crusty with dark blood.

"Fine," Beetlenose tossed his head arrogantly before whipping around and quickly heading towards the bridge.

Firepaw sighed. _I just want tonight to be over._

* * *

Firepaw licked a tuft of fur on his chest clean as the Clan shared tongues and ate jovially. This was the first real victory in moons, and they were celebrating.

Vixenpaw and Grasspaw bounded up to Firepaw, both apprentices' tails twitching excitedly. "Did you hear?" Grasspaw purred. "Heavypaw's being made a warrior!"

Firepaw's ears pricked. "Really?"

"Yes!" Vixenpaw said. "He's the oldest of us and he fought really well in the battle."

Grasspaw sighed wistfully. "I'll miss that lump. He kept the den warm all night."

Vixenpaw snorted. "I'll be taking his nest- it's the best one in the den!"

Firepaw's gaze travelled across camp until he spotted Heavypaw. The young tom was grinning from ear to ear as he talked with a proud Blackclaw. "When will the ceremony be?" he asked, glancing back at Vixenpaw and Grasspaw.

Grasspaw's tail twitched. "Soon. Crookedstar wants to let us all get sleep."

Firepaw nodded. It was past moon-high by now, and he ached with exhaustion. The sooner he could collapse into his nest, the better.

They did not have to wait much longer before Crookedstar's yowl came from the Rockpile.

After all the Clan had gathered, save for Mallowtail, who was peering out from the nursery, Crookedstar began to speak.

"Clanmates," he said, "Thank you for gathering. I know it is late, and I would certainly love to get to my nest and sleep. However, there are a few things that must be done. First," Crookedstar smiled tiredly. "I want to thank and congratulate all the brave warriors who fought against ShadowClan intruders tonight. This is the first of many more victories to come."

Firepaw did not cheer with his clanmates. He could only think of the torn body of Mousepaw, of tiny Cedarpaw trembling and thinking Firepaw would kill him, and of Flintfang, arrogant and brash yet truly a scared and caring father for his son. _Who else has to suffer so that we can be free of Brokenstar taking our hunting rights? Which other kits are going to die because we fought back?_

Crookedstar went on after the cheers fell. "And finally, I must ask that young Heavypaw step forward- he proved himself immensely in the battle, and it is clearly time he earns his place as a full warrior of RiverClan."

Heavypaw slowly padded close to the Rockpile, still grinning in excitement.

Crookedstar looked at Blackclaw. "Blackclaw," he asked. "Has Heavypaw proved himself in your eyes capable of becoming a warrior?"

"He has," Blackclaw nodded, eyes gleaming with pride. "Heavypaw's ready."

Crookedstar nodded and brought his attention back to the apprentice. "Heavypaw, do you promise to uphold the Warrior Code and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Heavypaw raised his chin and nodded firmly. "I do."

"Then from this moment on, you shall be known as Heavystep. StarClan honors your dedication and fighting skill, and we welcome you as a full member of RiverClan." Crookedstar stepped down from the pile and rested his muzzle on Heavystep's head, and the newly named warrior licked his leader's shoulder in return.

The Clan burst into cheers. "Heavystep! Heavystep! Heavystep!"

Firepaw, despite his mixed feelings over the entire ordeal, threw back his head and yowled along with his clanmates this time. Even if he were grieving for young Mousepaw and conflicted on the issue of ShadowClan, it _was_ exciting that Heavystep had completed his training, and Firepaw could find joy in that alone.


	17. Chapter 15

**Hey all! We're just a little over halfway done with this installation of Blazing! I'm on spring break right now and have little plans so I'll hopefully be able to have a lot of time to write!**

 **Reviews:**

 **Wolfclaw of MoonClan: This story will probably end around chapter 24 or 25. And thanks!**

 **52: The prophecy is the same in concept, but I have a lot more planned for Firepaw!**

* * *

 _Early morning sunshine warmed Firepaw's back_ as he padded towards the medicine cat's den, a plump pigeon in his jaws. He ducked inside the reed-woven den and nodded to Mudfur and Yellowfang, who were each grooming themselves.

"Mm, paying tribute to your elders, eh?" Yellowfang sniffed at the bird as Firepaw dropped his catch at her paws. "It's been awhile since you've come to see me."

Firepaw frowned. "Sorry, I know. There's just been so much going on."

Mudfur snorted. "You're telling me. I've been treating scratches every day."

It had been a quarter moon since the initial fight with ShadowClan, and as promised, Crookedstar was sending patrols out to WindClan land to hunt and challenge ShadowClan patrols there. The first few fights had been bloody- no lives lost, but Loudbelly had been resting a few days due to a nasty stomach wound- but now both sides were becoming more cautious. Depending on who was leading patrols, sometimes both patrols would simply glare from a distance and skirt around one another, but at other times RiverClan would charge ShadowClan patrols and send them away from the area with only a few blows. Of course, not every battle was won- just this morning, Dawnbright's patrol had returned empty-handed and roughed-up.

Yellowfang shook her head. "I'm telling you, Crookedstar needs to act sooner or later. We can't fight this way forever."

Firepaw nodded quietly. _I understand he wants us to train first, but we've been training for three moons… Or at least I have. Everyone else has probably trained longer. I bet Graypaw has already seen loads of battles. What if ShadowClan decides to attack_ us _first?_

"Mudfur! Mudfur!"

Firepaw glanced over his shoulder to see Sparrowkit, one of Mallowtail's daughters, limping into the medicine cats' den. "Mudfur, I gotta thing stuck in my paw."

Mudfur smiled gently at the young kit and padded towards her. "Where is it?"

Sparrowkit sat back on her haunches and held up a paw. "It hurts," she complained.

Firepaw leaned close to see what had hurt her. It looked like a fragment of those twoleg ice things that never melted– _Glass,_ he reminded himself. It was odd, in a sense, being in RiverClan- he found himself occasionally forgetting words and scents that had once been quite familiar to him.

"Hmm," Mudfur hummed as he sat down to inspect the paw. "This might hurt, because I've got to pull it out with my teeth. Can you be a big kit for me and hold it very still?"

Sparrowkit nodded very seriously, and with a determined look, she stuck out her paw again and closed her eyes tight. Firepaw watched as Mudfur quickly nipped at her paw. Sparrowkit let out a little yelp of pain and jerked back as Mudfur pulled the shard of glass from her paw. He spat it out and sat back. "Now give it a good lick, and you should be fine. Just don't play by the shore until we get it cleaned up."

"Thank you!" Sparrowkit chirped before licking her paw. "Ouch."

"Don't worry about it," Mudfur comforted the kit. "But if it isn't starting to feel better tomorrow, come see me again."

"Okay!" Sparrowkit quickly hopped to her paws and hurried back outside. Firepaw let out a purr of amusement as he heard her announce, "Stormkit! I'm not gonna die! Now you owe me a minnow!"

Mudfur chuckled. "They'll be a pawful when they're apprentices, that's for sure."

"They're a pawful now," Yellowfang sniffed. She had turned away and was eating the pigeon quietly. She had a faraway look in her eyes- the same look she got whenever she had to interact with kits.

Firepaw frowned as he looked at the old she-cat- but Mudfur quickly spoke to him again, interrupting any thoughts about Yellowfang.

"Now, Firepaw," he said. "Run along and tell Leopardfur that Sparrowkit got twoleg rubbish in her paw and that a patrol needs to clear away anything else on the riverbank. I don't want to be treating cut paws as well as battle wounds every day."

Firepaw nodded quickly. "Of course." He turned away and headed out, glad to be away from Yellowfang's odd mood and the choking scents of herbs.

* * *

Firepaw gingerly picked up another green share of glass and carried over to his small pile. He then turned away and scanned the sand for more.

"Ooh," Sedgecreek cooed, pawing at a smooth blue piece. "I'm saving this to weave into the den. Look how shimmery it is!"

" _I_ found this pretty shell!" Mosspaw boasted, sitting beside a pinkish shell that had a shiny, almost reflective interior. "I love when we clean up the sand- there's always so much to find!"

Firepaw chuckled quietly as he spotted a scrap of some twoleg metal. Part of what he loved about RiverClan was their appreciation and love of beautiful things. They frequently would _ooh_ and _ah_ over shiny bits or colorful shells before they wove them into their dens. At sunhigh, when the camp was sunniest, the little treasures would reflect tiny waves of light across camp, and kits would chase them as the wind shifted them about. Firepaw had always been fascinated with odd finds or shiny treasures, but he'd felt awkward about pointing out things on the shore until he learned most RiverClanners enjoyed finds just as much, if not more.

"The rain must've washed all of this up," Reedtail mused, pushing a slimy piece of rubbish towards his pile.

It has rained a few days ago, despite the warm sun today. Firepaw nodded in agreement. "That would make sense."

Loudbelly frowned and stared out across the river. "Should some of us head to Sunningrocks? There might be some there."

Shadepaw swiped her tongue across her lips. "There might be _prey,_ too."

Reedtail nodded. "I don't see why not. Anyone want to?"

Firepaw pricked his ears. "I can!"

"I'll go too," Shadepaw offered.

Silverstream nudged Heavystep. "Why don't we go as well?"

The young warrior nodded, seeming not to care much either way. "Alright."

Together the four cats splashed into the river. Firepaw struck out into deeper waters, relishing the cool flow against his warm pelt. He stretched out his legs and stroked evenly as he swam. The young tom was growing bigger and stronger– over the past three moons, he'd grown taller, more muscular. His pelt was silky like his clanmates' from his diet and RiverClan's way of life, and he no longer struggled in the water.

When he reached the solid ground beneath his paws, Firepaw trudged up to the dry shore and shook out his pelt.

Shadepaw sniffed the air before she narrowed her eyes and padded forward. "Something isn't right," she hissed.

"Hmm?" Firepaw glanced at her in confusion. _What's the matter?_ He parted his jaws to taste the air, stepping forward to do so. _All I can smell is…_

Firepaw's eyes widened as a screech ripped through the air.

"ThunderClan, attack!"

Four cats burst from the undergrowth at the edge of the Sunningrocks and charged forward. A sandy-colored she-cat leaped for him, and taking him by surprise, bowled him over. Firepaw cried out in pain as his shoulder collided sharply with one of the stones.

He heard Silverstream yowl in surprise as the she-cat dug her claws into his chest. "Firepaw! Shadepaw!" He could hear her splashing out of the water and Heavystep's paws thudding against the ground as he ran to their defense.

Firepaw brought his attention back to his attacker. He swallowed as he recognized her- "Sandpaw?"

"Shut up, _kittypet_!" She hissed, hitting him in the face with a paw. He was surprised to find that her claws were sheathed as they did so.

Sandpaw leaned in close to his ear and snarled, low and quiet: "Give up. I don't want to kill you, but if you don't retreat, I won't have a choice. We have to win Sunningrocks."

Firepaw growled and twisted his body sharply beneath her. " _Never_!" He spat, as she stumbled off with a yelp. Rather than leap to his paws, he rolled all the way to his side and lashed out with his powerful hind legs, kicking them into one of her hind legs and sweeping it out from under her.

"Fish-face!" She hissed as she hit the ground. Before Firepaw could attack, she had rolled smoothly out of the fall and was crouching low in a defensive position.

Firepaw used the opportunity to scan his surroundings. Graypaw was fighting with Shadepaw, but he was finding it a difficult task. Every time he swiped, she would feint to the side and lightly claw a shoulder. Then the bewildered apprentice would whip about and try again, only to be met with the same response.

Silverstream was knocking down a black apprentice, who's yellow eyes were rounded with fear as he hardly tried to fight back.

Heavystep was yowling and clawing at a dark tabby tom apprentice who had his teeth digging into Heavystep's tail like a huge tick.

Firepaw's gaze travelled to the edge of Sunningrocks, where what he saw made his blood run cold.

Tigerclaw, that massive, terrifying tabby deputy, was sitting peacefully at the very edge of the forest, thick tail slowly sweeping over fallen leaves as he watched with interest.

Firepaw felt rage spark within him. _He's testing them! The minnow-heart is just_ watching _us all fight!_

Firepaw screeched as Sandpaw hit him like a wild animal, clawing and spitting. Firepaw felt claws tear down his already throbbing shoulder and into his cheek before he stumbled back, shaking droplets of blood from his face.

Sandpaw never relented. She danced forward as he tried to step back, continuing to swipe. Sometimes she missed, but more often than not he claws would rake his chest or muzzle.

Firepaw tried to think as he ducked a blow. _She fights like Shadepaw._ Pain seared through his shoulder as he stepped too hard on it. Sandpaw was leaning off the leg he'd hit when he had retaliated. _We're both favoring a leg._ He hissed as she struck his other shoulder and stepped back again. _How do you surprise Shadepaw? She's never expecting you to rear up and strike back… but ThunderClan are more nimble on the ground. What if…_

When Sandpaw next struck out with unsheathed claws, Firepaw surged forward, chin tucked. He couldn't see her eyes, but he imagined them widening in surprise as his skull rammed into her, clipping her jaw painfully as he then twisted upwards and sank his teeth into her neck. Careful not to not hard enough to tear her throat, he surged forward and shoved her off her paws, throwing her to the scattered rocks. Sandpaw fell with a pained screech.

Firepaw turned to glare at Tigerclaw. It took the deputy a moment to notice the apprentice staring at him, but when he did, he started slightly. Firepaw continued to glare, curling his lip hatefully at the tabby who he could assume was forcing these apprentices to fight them as some sick test. "You're a coward!" He shouted, digging his claws into the small stones. "Just a big, lousy coward!"

Firepaw's eyes widened as the massive tom slowly rose to all fours, gazing calmly at Firepaw. He strode forward slowly, as if calculating where to place each of his huge paws. Firepaw stood still in place, gulping as the deputy casually approached him.

"I would advise you well to never challenge me that way again, kittypet," Tigerclaw rumbled, looking down at Firepaw like he was a mere pest. The apprentice was very aware of Sandpaw's gaze on him. _She's trembling. Why is she afraid?_

Firepaw forced himself to stare right back, keeping his fur flat. "Maybe you should make me instead of forcing your apprentices to do it for you."

Instead of snarling, Firepaw was surprised as Tigerclaw threw his head back and let out a deep, throaty laugh. "What impudence!" he guffawed. "I would never see such back talk from _my_ apprentices. My current one is more skittish than a mouse. I _must_ ask Leopardfur how she gets such cheeky apprentices. I suppose they _do_ reflect her… frustrating ways as well."

Firepaw frowned. _What was that supposed to mean? Do Leopardfur and Tigerclaw know each other?_ He shook the thought aside. _They're deputies of rival Clans! Of course he dislikes her._

Tigerclaw glanced casually away, scanning the battlefield with such a look of apathy that Firepaw wondered for a heartbeat whether or not he cared what happened to the four apprentices. "Hmm. It seems I misjudged how many RiverClan cats would be here. Nonetheless," his stare shifted down to Sandpaw. "You should have adapted. It is needless to say that you each have _failed_. Get back to camp."

Sandpaw finally stood, and with one final look at Firepaw, turned tail and leaped away, racing back into the ferns and bracken where she had come from.

Tigerclaw flicked his tail nonchalantly. "Farewell, kittypet. I certainly _do_ hope we will meet again soon." He stepped back and let out a yowl, tossing his head once more before the massive deputy backed away and turned into the undergrowth, back towards ThunderClan.

Graypaw and the other two apprentices' heads shot up, and with a few struggles and scrabbles they were at their paws and racing away into the forest.

Firepaw panted heavily as he stared at the stilling ferns. _He could have killed me right there,_ Firepaw thought. _How was he so calm?_

He flinched painfully as he stepped closer to the rest of his clanmates. His shoulder throbbed with pain, and Sandpaw's scratches stung terribly.

Reedtail flicked his tail furiously. "Come on. We need to report this to Crookedstar immediately. The nature of this fight was…"

"Out of ordinary?" Silverstream suggested, wrinkling her nose. Her pink nose had been sliced open and was wet with blood. "I've never seen a group of all-apprentices like that."

Firepaw felt an uncomfortable knot of dread twisting in his belly. _First we have ShadowClan to deal with, but now ThunderClan? It was bad enough before, but if both Clans are against us… does RiverClan stand a chance?_


	18. Chapter 16

**It's that time again! I've finally created an actual outline for the rest of this story, so that should make things a little smoother with updating. I'm on break right now, so I'm putting more time into writing, but after Easter I'll be back at my semester school, so I don't know how often I'll be able to update. But don't worry, this story isn't dead, and it won't be. As Queen Eradrin pointed out, this story is almost at 100 reviews! Whoever the 100th reviewer is will get to name one of Skyheart's kits!**

 **Reviews:**

 **Rainstorm98- Isn't she? More kit scenes to come soon!**

 **Mike- Thanks! And I wouldn't really say that- she's only met him once and she wasn't too fond of him at the Gathering. However, you will get to see more of Sandpaw soon, and maybe you'll learn a bit more about her side then.**

 **Queen Eradrin- I'm just one away from 100 now, which is super exciting! And thanks!**

 **Thanks to everyone else who reviewed!**

* * *

 _Firepaw yawned as he was prodded awake._ "Mrrh?"

"Get up!" Grasspaw prodded him in the belly again. "C'mon, lazy lump, Crookedstar is observing our training today! Leopardfur says we're doing a special challenge."

Firepaw raised his head, blinking in the dimly lit den. "What? Right now?"

Grasspaw rolled his eyes. "No, in a half-moon. Yes, right now!"

Firepaw yawned again and slowly pushed himself to his paws. "Alright, you great bothersome badger."

"Badger yourself!" Grasspaw shot back, flicking him with his tail. "You'd best hurry up- Loudbelly and Silverpaw are already being snide."

Firepaw let out a groan as he arched his back. "Of _course_ they are."

Grasspaw shrugged good-naturedly. "Don't worry about it too much," he reassured the young tom. "They always find something to complain about."

 _Yeah, but that's the problem,_ Firepaw thought as he followed his friend out of the den. _They're always complaining about_ me _._

"I see the kittypet finally graced us with his presence," Beetlenose sneered.

Firepaw gritted his teeth and looked away. _At least Blackclaw stopped training with us ever since Heavystep became a warrior._ Beetlenose, Loudbelly, and Silverpaw were bad enough without the other warrior to goad him.

Dawnbright padded close to the tom. "Pay no mind to Beetlenose," she whispered to Firepaw. "It'll do no good to fight with him."

Firepaw nodded quietly. _She's right._

Crookedstar dipped his head to Firepaw. "Now that we're all here," he said, "Let's head out. Leopardfur will explain your challenge."

Together, the group of mentors and apprentices began to head out of camp, with Crookedstar in the lead.

Leopardfur spoke as they headed towards the training clearing. "This challenge is serving as the start of Mosspaw, Shadepaw, and Silverpaw's warrior assessment."

Firepaw glanced at Grasspaw in surprise. The brown tom shrugged, eyes wide. "It's a bit early," Grasspaw whispered. "I wonder why…"

Leopardfur flicked her tail, though she didn't seem to notice the apprentice's comment. "The rules are simple. Firepaw, Grasspaw, and Vixenpaw will be intruders on RiverClan territory. Your goal is to make it across the territory without being caught and pinned. If you are, you're out. You will be stationed near the gorge, far upstream, and your goal will be to cross the Twoleg bridge. Make it there, and you win."

Firepaw frowned. _That's really far._ After a moment, he set his jaw. _But I ran across ThunderClan territory once to stay alive. I can do this. I was just a kit then._

Leopardfur went on. "You can use any tactics you want to make it there, and you can fight back until you are completely pinned."

Silverpaw let out a groan. "That's ridiculous."

Crookedstar gave the apprentice a stern look. "Do you expect any other intruder to roll over like a dead mouse when you just touch them?"

Silverpaw scowled and didn't reply.

Leopardfur rolled her eyes. "As I was saying. Now, Silverpaw, Shadepaw, and Mosspaw will be RiverClan warriors trying to catch the intruders. You will each pick one of the intruders you want to hunt down, and you will fail if you do not catch them. You can help your teammates, but not until you have defeated your target. And for both sides- claws are to be sheathed. This is a training challenge, but this is still just that- training." She looked over her shoulder at the apprentices behind her. "Is that understood?"

Firepaw nodded firmly. He glared at Silverpaw's back as she looked away. _I'm not the one she should be worried about cheating._

Crookedstar looked back at all the apprentices. "Who will each of you be chasing?"

Shadepaw decided first. "I'll go for Vixenpaw."

Firepaw glanced at the black she-cat she had named curiously. _Vixenpaw always goes easy on her for some reason. Is that why Shadepaw chose her, or was it just random?_ Vixenpaw was staring at her paws after Shadepaw spoke. _She almost looks embarrassed._

Silverpaw replied hardly a moment after. "Firepaw." His voice was cold.

Firepaw narrowed his eyes. _Bring it on, fox-heart._

* * *

Dawnbright sat beside Firepaw as cats talked quietly with their mentors by the border. "Don't make it easy for Silverpaw," she said firmly. "I know you're capable of making it a real challenge."

Firepaw nodded. "I will, I promise."

Dawnbright gave him a warm smile. "I'm proud of you, Firepaw. You've grown so much from that frightened kit I carried across the river. You'll make a fine warrior someday soon."

Firepaw raised his head and smiled, heart brimming with pride at her words. It was good to have someone who believed in him here.

Crookedstar padded up to the pair. "It's time to begin."

"Good luck," Dawnbright said. "Don't give in easily."

Firepaw nodded. _I'll do my best._

The mentors all slowly left the group, heading off into the territory. Firepaw watched them go until each was out of sight. _They'll be watching us, no doubt._

Grasspaw and Vixenpaw hurried to his side. Vixenpaw's tail was flicking nervously. "Do you think they'll be able to catch us all?"

Grasspaw shrugged. "They've been in training a moon and a half longer than us, and two longer than Firepaw. They might be able to if they work together."

Firepaw looked at the three older apprentices, who were talking a distance away. _Well, Shadepaw is pretty clever and is great at… actually, she's pretty great at just about everything. Mosspaw is a better hunter than she is a fighter, but she's not bad at it either. And then Silverpaw_ is _good at fighting, but he's also hotheaded and arrogant._

Firepaw sized up the territory before him. He had honestly not spent much time in this part of RiverClan's territory, but that wasn't to say it was unfamiliar. While there were few trees here, much of the grass and plants were tall, providing some amount of coverage. Additionally, there were frequently horses or dogs here, which left a strong scent that could mask his scent, or at least make it harder to clearly find. Large, scattered stones could also provide a hiding place, if he needed.

Firepaw took a breath. He was determined to beat Silverpaw. The arrogant furball had treated him terribly over the past four moons, and this was his chance to prove himself. _There's no way I'm going to lose. He'll never let me live it down if I do._

Leopardfur approached them again. "It's time. You'll get to head out first, but don't waste your time. I'm sure your mentors have already said this, but don't make this too easy."

Each apprentice nodded silently. This was as much of a challenge for them as it was the apprentices being tested.

"Get going, then." Leopardfur ordered. Firepaw tried to examine her expression- but as usual, it was neutral, eyes slightly narrowed. It was always hard to tell what Leopardfur was thinking. _Does she want us to beat them, or does she want us to fail?_ "Now!"

At Leopardfur's order, the trio took off, immediately dashing off into the thick grasses. The tall plants whipped at Firepaw's face and sides, and he had to narrow his eyes against them. He could see Vixenpaw's black pelt fox-lengths ahead of him, but Grasspaw was veering away into taller grasses, and it was not long before Firepaw could no longer see him.

Crookedstar's yowl split the air, and Firepaw's eyes widened. _I thought we'd have longer than that!_

He could hear his paws thudding heavily on the earth as he pushed himself harder. Ears flat, he tried to keep his head low as he could as he ran, but realized the position was too awkward. Thinking quickly, Firepaw skidded to a halt, panting. He angled his ears back- he could hear the grasses thrashing far behind him. Firepaw needed to move quickly or he would be the first to be caught.

Firepaw veered sharply to his right as he started off again, still moving quickly, but not quite as fast as before. He was heading in the direction of the few horses that were grazing. While he would be more visible here, Silverpaw would have to move carefully near the horses if he caught up to Firepaw, or risk spooking the horses, which could trample and kill both of them. It was a risky gamble, but Firepaw was determined to try.

As Firepaw hurried into the shorter grasses, he wrinkled his nose at the pungent stench of horse dung. This was the reason he and so many other RiverClan cats avoided this part of the territory- horse dung smelled _terrible_ , and prey seemed to think so too. _Twolegs bringing their dogs doesn't help much, either._

Firepaw slowed down as he neared the tall beasts who were grazing peacefully. There were three of them- two a shiny chestnut color, and the last black and white, who was fixing its gaze on Firepaw curiously before it snorted and returned its attention to the grass.

Firepaw cautiously padded closer to them, but was careful to skirt around them as he headed forward again, towards the gorge and the Twoleg bridge. He risked a glance over his shoulder- there was no sign of Silverpaw yet, and though Firepaw was downwind, there was no chance of catching any scent of him with the heavy smell of horse dung.

Firepaw headed past the horses, forcing himself to keep his fur flat as he walked past them. Something about the large creatures unnerved him, and we was glad to have them behind him as he headed onwards.

The grasses were again taller here, and the area was free of any dung-scent. Instead, he could hear quiet rustling of prey, and he could smell the scents of grouse and quail. His mouth watered, but Firepaw pushed any thoughts of food away. _Maybe there will be time for hunting later, but I have to finish this._ His belly rumbled uncomfortably. Because he'd slept in, he hadn't gotten a chance to eat before he went out for training.

Firepaw frowned and picked up the pace. _I can't waste time being slow. I can't be far now._

The way onward was surprisingly easy. Firepaw did not run, but he went at a fast pace, and though he kept checking behind him, Silverpaw never seemed to be behind him. _Did the horses really throw him off, or is he just that bad at tracking?_ However, a nagging thought remained in the back of his head that kept him looking over his shoulder- _What if he's planning something?_

Firepaw pricked his ears at the sound of the roaring falls ahead. He was getting closer- the bridge was very close to the falls. Tail raised up in the air, he hurried on. _I'm so close!_

As the bridge came into view, Firepaw started as a shriek rang out from upstream. Firepaw whipped around to see Vixenpaw and Shadepaw, farther up along the gorge, tumbling head-over-tail as they wrestled each other. Firepaw swallowed and turned away. _Vixenpaw can handle herself if she actually fights Shadepaw… but I don't know that she will._

Firepaw's heart sped up as his paws touched the first stones of the sun-warmed bridge. _This is it,_ he thought. _I'm so close-!_

But as Firepaw reached the middle of the bridge, a fearsome yowl sounded ahead, and before Firepaw realized what was happening, Silverpaw was charging from him from the undergrowth on the other side, and rammed full force into Firepaw.


	19. Chapter 17

**Last update before I go back to school! Since BeckTheProgram was the 100th reviewer, they get to name one of Skyheart's kits!**

 **Reviews:**

 **BeckTheProgram- Thank you! And the current plan is to write the whole original series!**

 **Chronicler of Imagined Time- ;).**

 **Thanks to everyone else who reviewed (and to any silent readers out there)!**

* * *

 _Firepaw screeched as his skull cracked painfully_ against the hard surface of the Twoleg bridge. Silverpaw slammed his paws down on Firepaw's chest, and hot pain seared through him as the tabby tom's claws dug into his side.

"Fox-heart!" Firepaw spat. The fiery tom lashed out with a paw, hitting Silverpaw in the face. The tom shook his head, loosening his grip, and Firepaw was able to shove him off of him and roll away. Firepaw had hardly regained his balance when he felt Silverpaw's claws tear through his shoulder.

"You cheater!" Firepaw hissed, bristling and skipping back. He growled in frustration as he realized Silverpaw was pushing him further back the way he came.

Silverpaw curled his lip. "I knew you'd try to be clever, fox-dung, so I came straight to the bridge. Took you long enough to actually get here." The tom leaped again, claws outstretched, and though Firepaw tried to sidestep, Silverpaw struck him with his claws before he landed and skidded hard on his paws. As Firepaw turned about to face him, Silverpaw threw his weight forward and lashed out with his hind legs, clipping Firepaw in the jaw.

Hissing quietly, the ginger tom stepped back, shaking his head. Silverpaw flew at him again, and in Firepaw's dazed state, he could do nothing but yowl as Silverpaw threw him down. Firepaw expected to knock his head against the bridge once more, but cold fear rushed through him as he realized there was nothing but air under his head.

"Silverpaw!" Firepaw cried, eyes wide. "Get off of me! You win, okay?"

Silverpaw snarled down at him. "Why should I? Kittypets have done nothing but ruin my life. Now I can ruin yours, too."

Firepaw swallowed, but gazed up at his adversary in confusion. "What do you mean?" He asked. "Just talk to me!"

Silverpaw curled his lip. "You don't care! Ever since you got here, all you've done is ruin things. All you're _ever_ going to do is ruin things! If I get rid of you now, I'll be doing RiverClan a favor."

"Just talk to me," Firepaw repeated, heart racing as he realized Silverpaw had just pushed him farther out. He had to strain his neck to keep his head upright like this. He could hear the thundering, gushing water beneath him, and for a moment he wondered if this was what prey felt like. "Tell me why you hate me so much."

Silverpaw let out another hiss. Firepaw stared hard back at him. Despite the fierce look on his face, he could see the doubt in Silverpaw's eyes. To his surprise, Silverpaw spoke.

"My mother never raised me," Silverpaw growled. "Do you know why? A kittypet took her as his mate, and that same kittypet murdered her in cold blood. I was only a few days old when a patrol found her body. She had already been weak from kitting, and some cats say she tried to ask him to take _me_ to be a kittypet. Kittypets are worthless and care for no one but themselves!"

Firepaw furrowed his brow. "I thought Mosspaw and Shadepaw were your sisters."

"Adopted." Silverpaw curled his lip at the word. "They're no blood kin of mine, but their mother never told them that. Everyone else knows who I am, and cats were finally starting to respect me until _you_ came along!"

Firepaw let out a yowl as Silverpaw's claws again dug into his chest. "Silverpaw," he hissed through clenched teeth. "You're not a killer."

"Don't tell me what I am!" Silverpaw snarled, pushing him forward again.

But before Firepaw's shoulders moved past the bridge, both cats froze as a piercing shriek of a kit sounded out from across the bridge, and soon after, a loud bark.

Silverpaw was very still before he stared down at Firepaw again. Firepaw could see him swallow, and he was surprised to see an emotion flash across his features- _shame_.

Silverpaw stepped off of him, and Firepaw quickly twisted around and scrambled backup to his paws. The two toms stared off silently for a few long moments, before another _woof_ made both flinch.

"We have to go," Firepaw told him, watching Silverpaw carefully. "There's a kit in danger. That's more important than either of us winning."

Silverpaw hesitated before he nodded. His tail was hanging low. "You're right."

"It's coming from across the bridge," Firepaw said, padding past him. "Let's go."

Without argument, the two toms broke into a run across the warm stones, and as they reached the other side, it took Firepaw only a moment to see a scruffy-looking dog barking and leaping up at a tree branch, snapping.

In the tree, Stormkit and Sparrowkit were perched precariously, each bushed up fearfully. "Help!" Sparrowkit wailed. "Help!"

"We're coming!" Firepaw called, racing towards the dog, who had yet to see them. Silverpaw was hard on his paws, and passed him just as they neared the tree.

"Hey, badger-breath!" Silverpaw screeched. "Pick on some cats your own size!"

The dog whirled about, snarling. It was just a head taller than Firepaw, but it looked fierce. With a yip, it sprang forward, but it's charge was clumsy and both apprentices leapt aside easily.

"I'll go for the face, you go for its tail!" Silverpaw shouted, and Firepaw nodded firmly. This was no time for bickering or rivalry- saving the kits was what mattered, and both toms knew that.

Firepaw pounced and sank his teeth into the dog's thin tail. As the dog yelped and whipped its head around to snap at Firepaw, Silverpaw struck it in the face with unsheathed claws. As the dog barked in confusion, Firepaw slashed at its haunches and Silverpaw clawed its face.

Suddenly, Firepaw heard of screech of pain from Silverpaw, and watched as the dog sank his jaws into the tom and haul him up off the earth. The dog began to shake him back and forth like dead prey, and all Silverpaw could do was shriek painfully and flail his legs in hope of managing to scratch the dog.

Without really thinking, Firepaw leaped, pouncing on the dog's back. "Leave him alone, fox-heart!" Digging his claws into its shoulders, he bit down hard on one soft ear and tasted blood.

The dog snarled in pain and recoiled, dropping Silverpaw with a thud as its head rolled back to try and dislodge its attacker. Firepaw just pulled back harder and bit down as hard as he could.

The dog practically squealed as it bucked, and Firepaw jumped clear as it shook itself and took off, tail between its legs.

Firepaw panted heavily before he slowly approached Silverpaw. "S...Silverpaw? Are you okay?"

The silver tabby was sprawled out on the ground, blood welling up from the bites of the dog. "Hurts…" he groaned, eyes clenched shut. "A lot. I think… I think I'm okay, though." One eye opener as he peered up at Firepaw. "Why did you save me? I almost killed you back there."

Firepaw frowned. _I didn't even think about it. I just reacted._ "Because you're my clanmate," he replied quietly. "We don't have to be friends for that to be true."

Silverpaw grunted in acknowledgement before a hiss of pain escaped him. As Firepaw turned away to check on the kits, he heard Silverpaw murmur, "Thank you, Firepaw."

Firepaw blinked in surprise. _Silverpaw's never called me by my name._ He glanced over his shoulder. "You're welcome. I'm just going to get the kits down, and then we can head home."

Firepaw pricked his ears as he heard pawsteps thudding against the Twoleg bridge. _Someone's in a hurry._

He was surprised to see Crookedstar and Leopardfur racing towards them as they turned away from the bridge.

"What happened?" Crookedstar demanded. "I smell dog."

"I smell _blood_ ," Leopardfur added as they both slowed to a halt in front of Silverpaw. "What happened to-?"

"I'm alive," Silverpaw hissed. "We were fighting on the bridge when we heard a dog and the kits."

Firepaw nodded. "Silverpaw and I came here and fought it off. He got hurt badly, though."

"Firepaw saved me," Silverpaw muttered quietly.

Crookedstar was quiet for a moment. "Leopardfur, go get the nearest mentors. We're going to have to get him back to camp somehow."

Leopardfur nodded and turned around to run off towards the bridge again.

Crookedstar looked down at Silverpaw. "You both displayed great courage in taking on a dog together. I am proud to see that you could put your differences aside for the sake of their lives."

"Yeah?" Sparrowkit shouted, seeming to already be over her fright. "Get us down then!"

Crookedstar chuckled before he shook his head. "I'm sure your mother will have some punishment in store for you when you get home, little ones. Kits are not meant to be outside of camp.

"We just wanted to watch the assessment!" Stormkit protested.

"But look what happened," Crookedstar said. "You were nearly killed by a dog and Silverpaw nearly died saving you."

Stormkit hung his head and nodded, but his sister still looked indignant.

Firepaw looked up at the two little kits. _They're safe, and that's what matters._ But with a glance at Silverpaw, he wondered, _Will he be able to become a warrior if we didn't finish the challenge, though?_

* * *

Firepaw bit into his small hare tiredly. He was utterly exhausted- from not eating this morning, crossing the territory, fighting Silverpaw, and fighting a dog- and he was ready to collapse into his nest and sleep until next new-leaf.

Crookedstar's yowl echoed throughout camp. "All cats old enough to swim gather beneath the Rockpile for a Clan meeting!"

Pushing his half-eaten meal aside, Firepaw padded up to join his clanmates as they gathered. He glanced at Silverpaw as the weary tom limped out of Mudfur's den, covered in cobwebs. _At least he's walking._ _Will Crookedstar make him a warrior?_

Crookedstar's gaze scanned the clearing. "Mosspaw and Shadepaw, please come forward."

Silverpaw hung his head, and Firepaw felt pity for him. _This is so unfair,_ Firepaw thought.

"Petaldust and Beetlenose," Crookedstar called. "Have these two young cats completed their assessments, and do you believe they are ready to become warriors?"

Beetlenose nodded. "Yes."

Petaldust's tail flicked. "They both did well."

"Then I, Crookedstar, leader of RiverClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in return." Crookedstar looked down at the two she-cats. "Shadepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Shadepaw nodded firmly. "I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name," Crookedstar said as he leaped down from the Rockpile. "Shadepaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Shadepelt. StarClan honors your wit and determination, and we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan." He moved forward to rest his muzzle on her head, and she gave his shoulder a respectful lick before he moved on to her sister. Shadepelt moved away to sit beside Beetlenose, head raised proudly.

Crookedstar padded towards Mosspaw. "Mosspaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Mosspaw grinned and nodded. "I do!"

Crookedstar smiled. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Mosspaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Mosspelt. StarClan honors your energy and independence, and we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan."

After he rested his muzzle on her head, he looked out at the Clan. "Before this meeting is over, we will have _four_ new warriors tonight, not two."

 _Four?_ Firepaw frowned in confusion. _What?_

"Silverpaw and Firepaw," Crookedstar called. "Please, step forward."

Firepaw's eyes widened in surprise. _It's me?_ I'm _the fourth warrior?_ Blinking, he rose and padded through his clanmates to Crookedstar. As Silverpaw limped forward, the two toms shared a startled glance.

"Though your assessment was not completed, Silverpaw," Crookedstar began, "You and Firepaw showed admirable courage in leaving it in order to save Mallowtail's kits from a dog. You fought bravely together- something I never thought I would see in my lifetime-"

There was a ripple of amused purrs. Firepaw flattened his ears in embarassment.

Crookedstar smiled. "-But you both impressed me very much today, and more than that, you saved two previous lives. Because of this, I ask StarClan to look down upon these two apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in return. Silverpaw," He asked, looking first to the silver tabby. "Do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Silverpaw said, tail raised high.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. From this moment on, you shall be known as Silverthorn. StarClan honors your strength and motivation." He leaned forward to rest his muzzle on Silverthorn's head, and moved away after the new warrior licked his shoulder in return.

"Firepaw," Crookedstar smiled at the apprentice. "You came to us as an injured kittypet, but you have proven yourself to be a warrior just as much as any of us. I have no doubt that you deserve to be receiving your name this evening."

Firepaw dipped his head, humbled at his leader's praise. "Thank you," he murmured.

"Firepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Firepaw vowed. There was no doubt in his mind.

Crookedstar nodded. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Firepaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Fireheart. StarClan honors your loyalty and courage, and we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan."

Crookedstar rested his muzzle on Fireheart's head, and the ginger tom leaned forward to lick his leader's shoulder. _I'm a warrior!_ He thought, brimming with excitement and joy. _I did it!_

As they parted, the Clan burst into cheers. "Shadepelt! Mosspelt! Silverthorn! Fireheart!"

Cats crowded around the warriors, congratulating them gleefully.

Mallowtail was the first to approach Fireheart. "Thank you for saving my kits," she purred. "You deserve your name."

Fireheart dipped his head. "I hope they're okay."

Mallowtail rolled her eyes. "Those furballs won't stop going on about how you and Silverthorn fought the dog! If anything, I think they only want to be warriors _more_ now!"

Fireheart laughed as Grasspaw shouldered him. "Hey, furball!" Grasspaw teased. "I didn't think you of all cats would be a warrior before me!"

Fireheart grinned at his friend. "You're not mad?"

Grasspaw shook his head. "No- I just wish _I_ had a dog to fight off!

Leopardfur padded up to him. "Congratulations," she said. "You are to hold silent vigil tonight with your fellow new warriors, as is customary."

Fireheart nodded.

"You may rejoin your Clan at sunrise," She mewed, padding away to speak with Shadepelt. "For now, take your post at the camp entrance."

Fireheart nodded and padded away from his clanmates to sit by the camp entrance. Before long, Silverthorn joined him, Sitting quietly by him. The two shared a long glance before they nodded and looked away.

 _I don't think we'll ever be friends,_ Fireheart thought. _But we'll always be clanmates, and I think he knows that now._


	20. Chapter 18

**Hey y'all! Sorry this update took so long- there's been so much going on that it's been hard to get to my computer to actually do anything writing related. (Speaking of writing, I just applied to be a writer for this site Sex, Etc., so we'll see how that goes.)(If you don't know what it is, it's a site by teens written for teens about issues relating to sex ed, relationships, LGBT issues, health issues, and more.)**

 **This is a pretty short chapter, but it's foreshadowing some important bits that will be expanded on soon.**

* * *

 _Fireheart stretched his jaws in a wide yawn_ as the sun began to rise in the sky, casting soft orange glows across the early morning sky. He shifted his paws quietly- he was feeling quite stiff from sitting this way all night.

He looked over his shoulder as he heard pawsteps approaching him and his fellow new warriors. It was Leopardfur.

"You may leave your posts now and speak," she told them. "Welcome back to the Clan as true warriors."

Mosspelt nodded before yawning. "Thank you."

"Feel free to eat or sleep," Leopardfur said, twitching her whiskers. "But be ready to patrol by sun-high." The golden deputy turned away and padded off towards the fresh-kill pile.

Silverthorn stretched. " _I'm_ sleeping. These bites still hurt pretty badly."

Shadepelt rose quietly. "I'm eating first."

Fireheart nodded. "Fresh-kill sounds great."

Mosspelt yawned again. "I'm with Silverthorn. Any longer and I'll fall asleep on my paws!"

The four cats parted ways, and Fireheart and Shadepelt padded towards the fresh-kill pile. Fireheart grabbed a small trout and was about to head to the corner of camp where he usually ate when a call stopped him.

"Hey, Fireheart!" He blinked and turned to see Silversteam sitting by the reeds where the river came right up by camp, making the shallows where kits learned to swim. She was with Heavystep, Frogleap, Reedtail, Dawnbright, and Sedgecreek, all of whom were eating and chatting. "Come sit with us warriors!"

Fireheart purred and headed towards the group. Heavystep and Silverstream scooted aside to make room for him, and he took a seat and dropped his meal.

"How's it feel to be one of us?" Silverstream asked, flicking him with her tail.

"Great!" Fireheart purred, taking a bite of his trout. "I can't wait to get to my nest, though."

Heavystep nudged him with his shoulder. "Silverstream and I made nests for all of you. I can show you to yours after you're done eating."

Dawnbright grinned at her former apprentice. "I never got a chance to congratulate you last night. I'm proud of you, Fireheart."

Fireheart swallowed his mouthful and smiled. "Thank you. You were a great mentor."

"Where's the others?" Reedtail asked. "Everyone else too tired to eat?"

"Silverthorn and Mosspelt did," Fireheart replied. "Shadepelt said she was eating, but I don't know where she went…"

Heavystep nodded past their group. "She's eating with Vixenpaw."

Fireheart looked over her shoulder to see the two she-cats sharing a fat fish. They were talking quietly to one another, too quiet for Fireheart to catch what they were saying, but Vixenpaw looked happy.

Fireheart and his companions returned to their meals. _This is good,_ he thought happily. _I feel like a real part of RiverClan now._

Dawnbright purred in amusement as her sister's kits tumbled from the nursery, yowling battle cries. They were just over four moons now, and it seemed every time Fireheart saw them they were bigger.

 _Soon enough they'll be apprentices,_ Fireheart thought, and with a little thrill of excitement, he added, _Maybe_ I'll _get to mentor one of them!_

As they finished their meals, Fireheart yawned, blinking drowsily. _I'm beat._

"Ready to sleep?" Heavystep purred, and Fireheart nodded quickly. "Follow me."

Fireheart followed him past the medicine cats' den, towards the large reed den that made up the warriors' den. He had only poked his head in once or twice, but never properly been inside. The den was about three times larger than the apprentice's den, woven out of reeds, mud, and willow branches, with the far back wall ending at the trunk of a tall willow. Nests were scattered throughout the den, and Fireheart noticed the largest, nicest ones were towards the center.

"Who sleeps there?" He asked, nodded at the larger nests.

"The senior warriors sleep towards the middle," Heavystep explained. "It's warmer there. Us newbies get outer nests. Speaking of which…" Heavystep led Fireheart along the left wall towards a round, mossy nest that was full of down and cattail fuzz. He nodded down at the nest. "We made 'em extra soft, for your first new nest. It's up to you to deal with them from now on, though."

Fireheart grinned at his companion. "Thanks, Heavystep."

Heavystep shrugged good-naturedly and turned around as he began to pad out the den. "No problem."

With a satisfied sigh, Fireheart sank into his soft nest, curled up, and closed his eyes. It was not long before he was plunged into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.

* * *

Fireheart pounced on a fat water vole, nipping its spine sharply before he picked it up and padded towards the rock where he'd stored his pile. As he dropped the vole, he heard the dead bracken from the forest rustling.

Fireheart felt himself bristling as he flattened his ears and looked towards the forest. _Is it Tigerclaw with another patrol of apprentices?_ "Who's there?" He demanded, lifting his tail in the air and arching his back. "Show yourself!"

The stranger froze, and the movement all but stopped.

Fireheart snorted. "I know you're there."

After a pause, he blinked as Sandpaw padded out from the undergrowth. Her ears were flattened as she glared defiantly at him, but he frowned as he saw how she looked. She seemed tired, skinnier than when he last saw her, and her back and sides with riddled with fresh, undressed wounds.

"What do you want, kittypet?" Sandpaw demanded. "I'm on my side of the border."

Fireheart relaxed his stance. "You're hurt," he pointed out. "What happened to you?"

A wary look flashed in the she-cat's eyes. "That's my business, fish-face!"

Fireheart rolled his eyes. "Wow, great insult. Did Tigerclaw teach you that one?"

Sandpaw bared her teeth at him. "I can still take you, kittypet!"

Fireheart sighed. "Look, I'm just asking what happened. You look hungry and hurt."

Sandpaw scowled at him. "Why should you care about me?"

"It just doesn't seem right," Fireheart said, taking a step closer. "Why didn't your medicine cat patch you up?"

Sandpaw hesitated and looked away for a moment. "Fine, I'll tell you. ShadowClan attacked us last night. They…" She sat down and flattened her ears again. "My father was killed in the battle."

Fireheart's heart sank. "Oh. I'm so sorry." He glanced at his hidden kills. "Would you like a vole?"

Sandpaw narrowed her eyes. "I can't take that from you."

"Please," Fireheart picked one up and padded closer to her before he dropped it at her paws. "You shouldn't be starving this late in Newleaf."

Sandpaw stared down at the vole. "Fine. But only because you dropped it at my paws. If anyone asks I'm telling them you forced it down my throat."

Fireheart laughed. "If that makes you feel better." He sat down and watched as she crouched to take a large bite. "Is your Clan okay?"

Sandpaw gave him an odd look. She did not reply and took another bite before she sat back up and twitched her whiskers. "Thistlestar is planning on forging an alliance with RiverClan," she told him. "He wants your Clan's help in defeating ShadowClan once and for all."

Fireheart blinked in surprise. "Why does he need our help?"

Sandpaw stared down at her paws. "They stole kits," she admitted quietly. Frostfur is distraught and a lot of cats were injured. He knows you gave them hunting rights, she he thinks he can use that to convince you to help us."

 _We took them back, though,_ Fireheart thought privately.

Sandpaw was quiet again as she finished off the vole and licked her lips in satisfaction. She already looked better, Fireheart thought- less lethargic.

Fireheart turned away for a moment to fetch another. "Here," he offered, dropping it before her. "Take one back with you, too."

Sandpaw stared at him quietly for a moment. "You're one of the most confusing cats I've ever met," she stated, before she picked up the vole and retreated into the forest again. The dead bracken swished behind her until she was gone from sight.

Fireheart watched her go curiously. _I feel like she left something out… But what? And why didn't their medicine cat fix her wounds?_


	21. Chapter 19

**A.N.: Hey y'all! Sorry for the delay- things have been hectic, and I've just graduated from my semester program a few days ago :). (It was an emotional roller coaster, and we all cried a lot, but I'm home now with plenty of time to write.)**

 **Before I get into review replies, I have a big shoutout and thanks to KatieK101, who's joining me as my awesome beta reader for Blazing!**

 **Reviews:**

 **Constantly Oscitating: Haha, you're one of the very few to catch on to that! As for Onewhisker, I would've included him, had WindClan been introduced by this point... but, I have more or less reached some conclusion on Fireheart's love life. Y'all will have to wait and see until future books how it plays out, though! And thanks for the congrats! They take super long to reply to anything, so I'm still not sure if I've been accepted yet or not...**

 **DNAcat: Hm, I have to say I disagree. While I do think Thistlestar IS fiercely loyal to ThunderClan, he's the same cat who pushed his apprentice into nearly murdering a kit and was constantly looking for battle.**

 **Hatakefire: Nope! Sandpaw's father was Redtail :). Whitestorm is still very much alive and kicking.**

 **And thanks to everyone else who reviewed!**

* * *

 _Fireheart blinked as the reeds surrounding_ the camp rustled and Silverthorn and Shadepelt pushed their ways through, looking wary. In a heartbeat, Fireheart was surprised to see that they were followed by Thistlestar, Lionheart, Tigerclaw, and a blue-furred she-cat. Thistlestar had his head and tail raised proudly, despite being in an enemy camp, and Tigerclaw looked about as smug as a fox, as he often was. The she-cat, however, seemed cool, collected, and regal, unlike her leader and deputy.

The ginger tom frowned, and found himself stiffening uncomfortably at the sight. _What are ThunderClan doing here?_ As he watched them enter camp, he noted that like Sandpaw, they still bore scabbing wounds from ShadowClan's attack. _Why hasn't their medicine cat healed them yet?_ Though he had heard little about Spottedleaf, Mudfur had spoken highly of her, so Fireheart couldn't wrap his head around why she had been so neglectful.

Thistlestar raised his chin, gaze ablaze as he scanned the RiverClan camp. "I demand to speak with Crookedstar!"

Blackclaw and Beetlenose approached the patrol, eyes narrowed. They stood side by side, shoulders squared as they stared down the intruding cats. "He's hunting," Blackclaw growled. "You can speak to his warriors."

Beetlenose nodded. "Anything Crookedstar needs to know, we need to know."

Thistlestar turned his gaze upon the two warriors, and fixed them with a fierce glare. It was clear he had no patience for warriors. _Probably thinks they're below him,_ Fireheart thought crossly. "I will wait for his return," he said firmly, as he took a seat and wrapped his thick tail across his paws. "My warriors will cause no trouble." He glanced at Tigerclaw, and the tabby deputy sat down and jerked his head for Lionheart and the blue she-cat to do the same.

Beetlenose glowered, but said nothing. The two toms each sat, watching the patrol like hawks. For once, Fireheart was grateful for the pair's suspicious nature- he certainly wasn't sure he trusted them either. _Sandpaw did mention that he wanted to make a deal with Crookedstar… but I don't trust him or that Tigerclaw._ He narrowed his eyes as he watched Thistlestar's patrol sit quietly. _They're all a tough-looking bunch, that's for sure. I've never seen that she-cat before, though._

Grasspaw padded up to Fireheart and sat beside him; his eyes never strayed from the ThunderClan cats. "I wonder why they're all here? It can't be good, if Thistlestar brought his toughest warriors."

Fireheart nodded. "Do you know who the she-cat is?"

Grasspaw nodded. "Bluefur. She's the most senior warrior in ThunderClan, right along with Thistlestar himself. I heard that even though they're both outstanding warriors, they rarely get along. Her three kits are pretty formidable warriors too… Stonefur, Mosstail, and Mistyfoot, I think."

"Hmm." Fireheart hummed. "I hope they aren't here long." Though it had been moons ago, the memory of ThunderClan warriors chasing him through their forest to kill him as a kit was still fresh in his mind.

The Clan was uneasy the whole time Thistlestar and his warriors were in camp. It was quiet, aside from a few dubious whispers that passed between those who were in camp. However, it wasn't too long before Crookedstar, Loudbelly, and Petaldust pushed their ways through the reed wall, and stared at the visitors in surprise.

"What is the meaning of this?" Crookedstar asked, as he padded towards Thistlestar.

"I need to speak with you," Thistlestar said, tail flicking adamantly. "Immediately."

Crookedstar narrowed his eyes before he nodded slightly. "Very well." As he turned away, he jerked his head towards his den. "Follow me."

Lionheart and Bluefur stayed behind as Tigerclaw and Thistlestar followed the RiverClan leader to his den.

Grasspaw narrowed his eyes as the pair watched them go. "I guess we'll have to wait and see what he wants."

Fireheart nodded silently. _I shouldn't tell him I was talking to Sandpaw. And I_ definitely _can't say anything about giving her fresh-kill!_

* * *

By the time they emerged from Crookedstar's den, word of Thistlestar's arrival had spread around camp to those just returning from patrols, and many RiverClanners were waiting agitatedly to hear what ThunderClan had visited them for.

Fireheart noticed that Thistlestar was smiling to himself as he flicked his tail at his warriors, beckoning them to follow. Without a word, Bluefur and Lionheart dipped their heads and rose, and the four ThunderClan warriors departed the camp, silent as they had arrived.

Fireheart let his shoulders sag- he hadn't realized he had been holding so much tension in.

Crookedstar's yowl startled him a bit as the leader shouted, "All cats old enough to swim gather beneath the Rockpile to hear my words!"

As soon as RiverClan had converged together beneath the pile, the big tabby began to speak. "As you know, Thistlestar visited me today," he began, sitting down. "He asked that RiverClan join him in a temporary alliance against ShadowClan— I agreed."

Fireheart found himself a bit surprised as many of his clanmates began yowling their approval.

"We'll defeat Brokenstar once and for all!" Whiteclaw declared.

"ShadowClan will pay for the prey they've taken from us!" Beetlenose yowled.

"When's the battle?" Silverthorn demanded eagerly, tail lashing.

Crookedstar raised his chin. "In two days time, when ThunderClan has recovered from ShadowClan's most recent attack. Which brings me to my next point…" His gaze searched the Clan until it settled on one cat. "Yellowfang."

Confused, Fireheart looked over his shoulder at the ragged she-cat. _Yellowfang…?_

Crookedstar flicked his tail. "Thistlestar admitted to me that ShadowClan has murdered Spottedleaf, their only medicine cat. Will you help mend the wounds of their most injured, provided they supply you the herbs?"

Before Yellowfang could reply, Blackclaw let out a hiss. "Mend enemy warriors? You must be joking!"

Yellowfang fixed him with a glare. "Would you rather go into battle alongside weak deadweights, or healthy warriors?" Without waiting for a reply, she scoffed and looked up at Crookedstar. "I will, so long as they meet me at Sunningrocks and I have an escort. I don't trust Thistlestar, but I'll help his warriors if it means finally overthrowing Brokenstar."

Leopardfur nodded. "That would be wise. Thistlestar is probably desperate- I wouldn't put it past him to attack or kidnap you should we leave you without defense."

A few other warriors nodded quietly as well. Fireheart smiled to himself- it seemed that others were beginning to value Yellowfang's presence in RiverClan.

Crookedstar nodded. "I agree. Tomorrow morning, you will meet ThunderClan at Sunningrocks. Make sure to take someone with you. In the meantime, everyone else- prepare. Rest, eat, and make sure you are ready for the coming battle. Though we will have ThunderClan on our side, I suspect it will not be an easy fight." Many of Fireheart's clanmates nodded firmly. It was clear everyone was filled with determination to defeat Brokenstar and his dastardly followers.

Seeing there was no complaint, Crookedstar set his jaw. "Then this meeting is dismissed. Leopardfur, will you organize a patrol to catch up to Thistlestar and tell him the terms of meeting with Yellowfang?"

Leopardfur nodded. "Of course. I'll lead it myself, and take…" She paused for a moment, scanning the gathered cats. "Reedtail, Heavystep, and Fireheart."

Fireheart pricked his ears. _I'm going into ThunderClan territory?_

Crookedstar nodded and scrambled down from the Rockpile. "Meeting dismissed."

"Come on," Leopardfur called as the Clan began to disperse. "I'd rather we didn't have to walk all the way to their camp."

Fireheart rose to his paws obediently and followed the dappled golden she-cat. Reedtail and Heavystep both hurried over, and Leopardfur quickly led them through the reeds towards the river.

"Have either of you ever been to ThunderClan?" Fireheart asked curiously, and glanced at Heavystep.

"Only twice," Reedtail replied with a shrug. "There's too many thorns and brambles for my liking."

Heavystep grunted in agreement. "We fought them once in their territory. Out in the open we can overpower them, but they're as slippery as fish when they can hide behind their undergrowth."

"Quit chatting and hurry up," Leopardfur grumbled as she padded into the river. "I don't want to be wasting daylight when we have so much to prepare for."

Heavystep rolled his eyes before he hurried into the rushing water after his deputy. After they exchanged a glance, Fireheart and Reedtail dove in after them.

The swim across was short– it hadn't rained in awhile, so the river wasn't swollen, and the current was not strong. Fireheart scrambled up onto the stones of Sunningrocks and shook out his glossy pelt, then waited for his clanmates to do the same.

Leopardfur nodded when she saw they were all ready. "Let's go."

Fireheart was on high alert as soon as they pushed their way through the dead bracken that bordered Sunningrocks.

Heavystep and Reedtail had been right- ThunderClan land was full of tall undergrowth. The ferns stretched just above his head, young fronds still unfurling as they grew. There was all manner of grasses and small plants beneath his paws, from rich herbs and small flowers to tiny tree sprouts. Molding leaves, acorns, and animal scat littered the forest floor, and it seemed as though thick bushes full of berries and brambles were pressing in around him from all sides.

Fireheart was surprised by how beautiful he found it. It was very different from RiverClan- they certainly didn't compare in foliage- and the scents and loud birdsong were quite different from that of the ones in his own territory.

They trekked on in silence, each cat in the patrol wary and aware of their surroundings. Fireheart felt like a clumsy badger stumbling through all the plants. He was making so much noise, and had no idea how he would ever manage as a hunter here.

Fireheart's green eyes widened as he heard the ferns and undergrowth rustle loudly before them. He narrowed his eyes and braced himself, and waited as the crashing grew in volume. Leopardfur, Heavystep, and Reedtail all waited cautiously.

A thick-furred white warrior pushed his way through the foliage, eyes narrowed. He was followed by a hissing dark tabby, a dusky brown she-cat, and a glossy blue-furred she-cat. Fireheart didn't recognize any of them.

"RiverClan intruders!" The tabby spat, before the white tom flicked his tail over his jaws.

"What are you doing here?" The leading tom asked, as he squared his shoulders. "You're on ThunderClan territory."

Leopardfur dipped her head. "I know. We're your allies now, in case your leader didn't inform you. He asked us to send a medicine cat to tend to your wounded, and we came to tell ThunderClan that we will provide them treatment so long as their wounded meet us and Sunningrocks."

"How can we trust them?" The tabby hissed, tail lashing. "They know we have no medicine cat-"

"Hush," the blue she-cat hissed, and shouldered him.

The white tom seemed to relax, and nodded. "I see. Thank you. I'll tell Thistlestar. When should we come to Sunningrocks?"

"Sun-high tomorrow," Leopardfur replied, as her gaze flickered towards the dark tabby whose back was still arched. His fur bristled along his spine.

Fireheart's eyes narrowed and he fixed the tabby with a glare. No- he _did_ recognize this tom. This was the cat who attacked him and held him down at Sunningrocks when he was a kit. His throat tightened with a sudden anger, and the tabby curled his lip at him.

"Relax," Sunfish whispered in Fireheart's ear. He took a breath and forced his fur flat. _We're allies now,_ he reminded himself.

The white tom nodded and shot the growling warrior a stern look. Finally he tossed his head and stood down, and started to wash his fur down. With a shake of his head, he looked back at Leopardfur. "I'll pass the message along to Thistlestar. Mousefur and Mistyfoot can escort you to the border."

Leopardfur looked irritated but she didn't complain as the brown she-cat and blue-gray she-cat stepped forward, and nodded at the white tom.

The white tom turned around, flicked his tail for the tabby to follow, and padded back through the bracken the way he'd came. The tabby watched them a moment more, before he spat and followed.

"Sorry for Darkstripe's attitude," Mistyfoot said, as she padded past them to take the lead. "He's rather the distrustful sort."

 _Every Clan must have warriors like that,_ Fireheart thought dryly, starkly reminded of Beetlenose and Blackclaw.

Mousefur said nothing as she took up the rear, and the patrol quietly followed Mistyfoot back through the woods. It was clear neither were too pleased to be tasked with escorting them.

As they made their way through a particularly thick patch of blackberries- which Fireheart was sure the ThunderClan cats were doing on purpose- the ginger tom stepped on a thorn and tripped a bit, stumbling off-balance and causing Mousefur to bump right into him.

The small she-cat recoiled sharply, and hissed, "Watch it, _kittypet_!"

Fireheart bristled, as he limped a few steps away. "Excuse me?"

Reedtail and Heavystep both arched their backs, eyes narrowed. Mousefur curled her lip and spat. "Don't play dumb. You're a _kittypet_ , and I don't want your twoleg pet filth on me!"

Heavystep stepped towards her, straightening up and raising his thick tail in the air. "Say that again," he growled.

"Heavystep," Leopardfur cautioned, voice low. "Stand down."

Mousefur, not to be intimidated, stepped forward until they were right up in each other's faces. "Your kittypet friend," she said, slowly, baring her teeth. "Is an embarrassment to the name of a warrior."

Mistyfoot turned around, eyes wide. "Mousefur!" she cried.

Heavystep thrust his muzzle in her face. "I'll give you one more chance to _shut up_."

Fireheart swallowed. _This is_ not _how this was supposed to go!_ "Heavystep…" he tried. "Just leave it."

Heavystep ignored him. Mousefur curled her lip as they faced off. "Coward."

This wasn't going to end well.

Heavystep lunged forward, snarling, and bowled Mousefur over. Spitting and screeching, the she-cat fought back fiercely, reaching up to swipe and claw at the stocky tom's chest. She kicked at his belly, and he rolled away. The two tumbled over and over, wrestling, spitting, and clawing.

" _Heavystep_!" Leopardfur shouted, bristling in fury. She leaped into the fray, and attempted to push her way through the fighting pair. However, the two simply ducked out of the way, snapping at each other again. "Reedtail!" She snapped, and the tabby leaped to her aid.

Leopardfur shot forward again, and this time sunk her jaws into Heavystep's scruff and pulled him backwards. Reedtail shot between them, fight momentarily pulled apart, and he shoved Mousefur back. Instead of giving up, Mousefur just latched her claws into Reedtail's pelt and dragged him to the ground with her.

"Mousefur, you bee-brain!" Mistyfoot finally dove for the fight, and after a moment of tussling, she managed to slam her paws on the smaller she-cat's hip, using her sturdier build and greater weight to hold the spitting she-cat down.

When both cats were firmly separated and held back, they eventually relaxed, hissed, and pushed their respective clanmate away, only to glare at one another and lash their tails in silent dislike. Leopardfur shook her head in disgust. "You can be sure Heavystep will be speaking to Crookedstar about this… incident." She gave Mistyfoot a glance. "I apologize on my warrior's behalf."

Mistyfoot wrinkled her nose, and glared at Mousefur. "Both cats provoked this one," she growled, as she flicked the she-cat with her tail. "Go back to camp. I can lead them back myself."

"Good riddance," Mousefur hissed, before she whipped around and bound off through the thick undergrowth.

 _Right back at you,_ Fireheart thought bitterly, and then glanced gratefully at Heavystep. While he didn't want to endanger the truce by having fights break out, he _was_ glad to have clanmates who would readily defend him. _What a rude she-cat!_


	22. Chapter 20

**A.N.: Here's a bit of an early update! Once again, big shoutout to the lovely KatieK101! If you haven't read her stories, you darn well better.**

* * *

Fireheart was awoken by a rough prod to his belly. He blinked in confusion, and looked up to see Yellowfang, who stood over him. "Mrrh?" Fireheart rolled over to lay on his belly. "Am I on dawn patrol?"

Yellowfang rolled her eyes. "No, furball– I was going to ask you to come with me to Sunningrocks."

Fireheart pushed himself up to sit back on his haunches. "Right now?"

"No, sometime next moon," Yellowfang retorted, whipped around, and padded out of the warriors' den, as her thick tail swished behind her.

Fireheart rolled his eyes before he parted his jaws in a wide yawn and arched his back to stretch. "Alright, I'm coming." He was careful to step over a still-sleeping Heavystep as he left the den, and found Yellowfang waiting impatiently for him outside.

With a huff, the old she-cat headed for the camp entrance. Fireheart was quick to follow right behind her, not wanting to irritate the agitated medicine cat even more. He glanced longingly at the fresh-kill pile—breakfast would clearly have to wait.

"Which way do you want to cross?" Fireheart asked as he caught up to her.

"Let's use the Stepping Stones," Yellowfang decided. "The river is low enough, yes? My aching bones aren't up to going all the way up to the bridge."

Fireheart nodded. "We can do that." He led the way towards the rocks called the Stepping Stones, which were rocks that jutted out of the shallower part of the river that allowed cats to cross without swimming. The young warrior led the way, and jumped onto the first stone. From there, it was easy to cross without having to jump or stretch too far. The Stones were fairly large when the river was so low. As he crossed the stones, he checked over his shoulder to make sure Yellowfang was still close behind him.

"I'm fine!" The ragged she-cat hissed irritably by the third time he glanced. "Keep moving."

As they made it halfway across, Fireheart could see a band of cats heading out of the thick forest and onto Sunningrocks. Each warrior looked weary and still wounded from the battle a few days ago. Leading them was the same white tom that Fireheart had run into yesterday in ThunderClan.

When they made it to the shore, the white tom padded up to the pair and dipped his head respectfully. "Yellowfang," he meowed to greet the she-cat. "My name is Whitestorm. ThunderClan is deeply grateful for your help." He lashed his tail, and a young, sleek black tom blinked and hurried to his side. "This is Ravenpaw. We can fetch whatever herbs you need."

Yellowfang nodded curtly. "Very well. I'll need some marigold, chervil, goldenrod, oak leaves, comfrey, and as many cobwebs as you can carry. Do you know what all those look like?"

Whitestorm frowned. "All save for the chervil."

Ravenpaw raised his head. "I-I know what that looks like!" Sheepishly, he added, "Spottedleaf used that on me when I got injured in the last Sunningrocks battle."

Yellowfang looked down at the apprentice. "Good. Then be off- I don't want to be here all day. I'll check over your wounded while you're away and sort out the worst of the lot."

Whitestorm nodded and he and Ravenpaw turned about and hurried back into the forest, past their warriors. The wounded cats watched Fireheart and Yellowfang warily as they approached.

There were eight cats in total- Darkstripe, Sandpaw, and six other cats Fireheart didn't recognize. Sandpaw blinked and looked up as he approached, and Fireheart thought he saw the faintest of smiles from the shrewd she-cat. However, when he looked back, she scowled at him. _Must have imagined it,_ he thought, frowning.

Fireheart sat and watched through narrowed eyes as Yellowfang approached the ThunderClan cats. While he didn't expect the injured cats to attack, Fireheart rationed he could never be too careful with ThunderClan. Some cats, like Lionheart and Graypaw, were friendly enough, but he wouldn't trust cats like Darkstripe or Tigerclaw even if StarClan themselves came down from the sky and told him to.

Yellowfang sniffed first at Sandpaw's wounds. The ginger she-cat looked uncomfortable with the medicine cat, and curled her lip as Yellowfang sniffed at a nasty scratch along her flank. "Go sit by Fireheart," she instructed the apprentice. "That looks a bit infected."

Sandpaw frowned and padded over by Fireheart to sit beside him. Fireheart's pelt bristled uncomfortably as she stared at her paws. After a moment, she murmured, "I never thanked you for the fresh-kill. So… thanks."

Fireheart blinked in surprise. _Sandpaw's not being short for once?_ "Er… you're welcome."

Sandpaw said nothing else as a silver-gray she-cat and a brown tabby she-cat came to sit near them as well. The brown tabby looked curiously at Fireheart. "You're that kittypet warrior, aren't you?"

Fireheart wrinkled his nose at the question and bit back a stinging retort. "I'm a RiverClan warrior," he replied coolly, and flicked his tail.

"But you were a kittypet, yeah?" The tabby implored. "Born and bred a kittypet? Aren't you the kittypet that Thistlestar was trying to kill a few moons back?"

"He said he's a warrior, Mosstail," Sandpaw snapped, and shot the warrior an irritated look.

Mosstail stared hard at Sandpaw before she fell silent and turned her back to the pair. She made a loud huff, but she didn't seem to have it in her to bicker with the apprentice.

Surprised, Fireheart glanced at Sandpaw. "Thanks," he whispered.

"Now we're even," she shot back, and then refused to look at him. He nearly rolled his eyes in response and looked back at Yellowfang, just in time to watch her cuff Darkstripe over the ears as he refused to sit still.

By the time Yellowfang had finished checking over each warrior, Whitestorm and Ravenpaw had returned, jaws full of fresh herbs. Yellowfang nodded to them as they dropped the herbs at her paws. "Good," she said, as she nosed through them. "Everything I need is here." She turned around to scan the three cats near Fireheart. "You!" she snapped at Mosstail. "You're first."

Mosstail rose silently and headed towards Yellowfang. It was then Fireheart noticed she was limping, favoring a chewed and clawed leg. Yellowfang began to pick through the herbs and started to chew a few leaves. He watched as she spat out the poultice and applied it to the leg injury. Satisfied, the medicine cat began to wrap it with long green leaves and cobwebs.

Yellowfang looked over at Whitestorm as she finished applying the webs. "She can't fight in the battle," she told him. Mosstail frowned, but didn't verbally complain. _She's disappointed,_ Fireheart thought. _But she knows better than to fight with that wound._

Whitestorm sighed heavily. "I cannot guarantee that Thistlestar won't send her in," he said.

Yellowfang snorted in contempt. "I'm surprised he isn't on _Brokenstar's_ side," she hissed. "What with the careless way he handles his clanmates."

Darkstripe stood, hackles rising. "Watch what you say about our leader, mange-pelt!"

Fireheart sat up a little straighter and narrowed his eyes, bracing himself to spring to her defense.

Yellowfang bristled and fixed him with a fiery glare, but before she could reply, a stocky gray tom rose from beside him and cuffed him over the ears again. "Shut up, Darkstripe," he snapped. "Yellowfang is healing our wounds. Be respectful."

Darkstripe curled his lip and spat before he stalked away towards the ferns to sit alone, ears flat.

Fireheart frowned as he observed the tom. Something about him seemed familiar. He was heavy-set, with a round face and large paws. His ears rounded slightly, and something about the way he carried himself reminded him of someone else Fireheart knew… He shook his head and pushed the wondering aside. _Perhaps he's Graypaw's father?_ He thought curiously. _I think that must be it._

"I'm sorry about his attitude," the gray warrior meowed to Yellowfang. "He's good warrior, but definitely not a diplomat."

Fireheart couldn't resist a quiet chuckle. It seemed Darkstripe's clanmates were always trying to apologize for his terrible behavior.

"Hmm." Yellowfang nodded curtly. "You're next, then." The gray tom sat obediently while Yellowfang chewed up a few leaves.

"Who's that tom?" Fireheart whispered to Sandpaw.

"The one with Yellowfang?" Sandpaw glanced at Fireheart. "He's Stonefur. One of ThunderClan's most formidable warriors." With a touch of pride, she added, "He's won many battles for ThunderClan. Stonefur's vowed to take down Brokenstar himself, so don't even bother going for him in the battle."

Fireheart blinked at the certainty in her voice. _She seems so sure he's going to win if they face off._ "Is he that strong?"

Sandpaw nodded. "He's one of the best."

 _Interesting,_ Fireheart thought to himself, and turned away to groom himself as Yellowfang continued on with her work. By the time she finished, the sun was high in the sky, and all the ThunderClan cats seemed a little less agitated. When Yellowfang padded to his side, Whitestorm called to them. "Thank you!" He shouted. "ThunderClan is grateful for your help."

Yellowfang glanced over her shoulder and nodded. "Yes," she replied, eyes narrowed. "But you'd best replace Spottedleaf as soon as you can. RiverClan won't always be there to help you." She flicked her tail for Fireheart to follow as she hurried towards the Stepping Stones.

Fireheart cast one last glance at the ThunderClan cats before he followed the old she-cat.

* * *

It was the day before the battle, and cats were busying themselves in RiverClan. Vixenpaw and Grasspaw had gone out with Sedgecreek and Voleclaw to practice battle moves, Yellowfang and Mudfur were hard at work prepping poultices and remedies, and Leopardfur had been sending out patrols all day to strengthen the borders and fill the fresh-kill pile.

Fireheart had been placed on sentry duty with Silverthorn, and, needless to say, he wasn't exactly thrilled about being on duty with the silver tom. Normally this was a one-cat job, but Leopardfur wanted to take every precaution in preparing today. There would be no surprises.

Silverthorn was flopped down lazily across the pebbly reedbed, ears folded as he drew his tongue over his paw. He slowly used his paw to wash his face, and Fireheart had to roll his eyes before he stared out at the river and Sunningrocks across. _Of course he's concerned with his appearance now of all times._

Fireheart gritted his teeth as he heard Silverthorn start to clean his claws noisily. The tabby tom gave him an impudent look. "Is there a problem?"

Fireheart simply snorted and continued to stare straight ahead, as he ignored his companion.

Silverthorn growled and looked back at his paw. "Whatever, badger-breath."

"Skunk-stench," Fireheart muttered.

Silverthorn narrowed his eyes. "Dirtface."

"Dungface," Fireheart shot back, turning to glare at Silverthorn.

The tabby sat up. "Foxbreath!"

"Slug-eater!"

"Drypaw!"

"Beetle-brain!"

"Minnow-heart!"

"Flea-brain!"

" _Mousefodder!_ "

With the final shouted insult, the two toms were face-to-face, lips curled. Fireheart opened his jaws to spit out another crude retort, until a shaky voice interrupted them. "Ex-excuse me?"

Both turned their heads to see a sleek black tom - _Ravenpaw,_ Fireheart realized - standing on the edge of the riverbank, wide-eyed and hesitant.

"How did we miss him?" Fireheart asked, surprised by his appearance.

"Because you're a rotten mouse-brain," Silverthorn deadpanned. "Dumber than a doormouse."

"You didn't see him either, frogspawn," Fireheart whispered, as he shouldered him roughly. He took a moment to clear his throat awkwardly, and then replied to Ravenpaw, "Hello?"

Silverthorn groaned and shoved Fireheart back, which pushed him aside. "What are you doing on RiverClan territory?" He demanded, as he lifted his tail. The silver tabby fur bristled along his spine. "Speak quickly or leave!"

Ravenpaw blinked rapidly before he swallowed and mumbled, "Er, um, I'm sorry- I just came to speak to Mudfur and Yellowfang about something. May I, please?"

Silverthorn snorted. "Why should I let you in?"

Fireheart cast him a look of annoyance. "Silverthorn," he meowed. "Shut up." He glanced back at Ravenpaw and gave him a friendly smile. "Of course you may." He stood and flicked his tail for Ravenpaw to follow him. "Distrustful crow," he hissed in Silverthorn's ear.

"You'd invite a badger in if it asked you nicely," Silverthorn whispered, tail lashing.

Fireheart flicked him with his tail, surprisingly playful rather than irritated. "Stay here," he said, as he led Ravenpaw into camp. It was fairly empty - the queens were taking Mallowtail's kits for a swim, and most cats were out of camp, leaving only Mudfur, Yellowfang, Graypool, and Heavystep in camp. The latter was stretched out lazily in a patch of sunlight, asleep. Fireheart realized that he hadn't moved since breakfast.

"Yellowfang! Mudfur!" Fireheart called, and the pair glanced up. They had been sorting a variety of herbs and flowers just outside their den. "You have a visitor."

Yellowfang peered at Ravenpaw curiously as the pair approached. "I remember you from yesterday- Ravenpaw, yes?"

Mudfur frowned. "Aren't you Tigerclaw's apprentice? What are you doing here alone?"

Ravenpaw shuffled his paws. "Y-yes, Tigerclaw's my mentor. And you see, well…"

Fireheart stared blankly at the apprentice. This trembling, shy thing was _Tigerclaw's_ apprentice? _I'd imagine any apprentice of Tigerclaw's would be fierce as a dog!_

Ravenpaw finally spoke. "...I wanted to ask you- one or both of you- to train me as a medicine cat. So I can be ThunderClan's medicine cat."

Fireheart blinked. "What?"

Yellowfang gave him a look that said ' _shut up'_ , and looked back to Ravenpaw. "You're sure?" she asked, as she gazed intensely at him. "You want to give up the life of a warrior- give up hunting, fighting, and patrolling alongside your clanmates- to heal? You'll never have a mate, and your place in the Clan will be a lonely one."

Fireheart wondered if she was being a little harsh, but then remembered she was speaking from personal experience— she, too, had trained as a warrior before becoming a medicine cat.

Ravenpaw dipped his head. "I'm certain!" he mewed. "I had been trying to figure out how in StarClan's name to make it work, but when you came to help us at Sunningrocks, I thought that maybe it could work like this."

Mudfur shared a glance with Yellowfang. "My duty would be to my clanmates first, above all," he warned. "But I would be willing to dedicate time to training you. As medicine cats, we have a certain obligation to all Clans, not just our own."

Yellowfang hummed in agreement. "I agree. Under any other circumstances, I would want a medicine cat from each Clan to contribute… but seeing as WindClan is gone, and ShadowClan are our enemies, it's up to Mudfur and I."

Ravenpaw's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Thank you!" he purred. "Thank you so much!"

Mudfur narrowed his eyes. "Do Thistlestar and Tigerclaw know?"

Ravenpaw frowned. "Thistlestar does… I haven't talked to Tigerclaw about it. He'll be furious, that's for sure. But I don't think he's ever been too proud of me as an apprentice, anyway…"

Yellowfang rolled her eyes. "That Tigerclaw will never be satisfied with anything. And don't thank us too much yet— I will need to speak to Crookedstar. I don't believe he would turn you away, though."

Ravenpaw kneaded his paws happily. "Thank you anyway," he purred. "When should I meet you? Where?"

Mudfur gave Yellowfang an amused look. "The half-moon is coming up," he suggested. "Four more nights, if I recall correctly. Meet us at Fourtrees, and we'll have it figured by then."

Ravenpaw nodded and curled his tail. "I will." He gave Fireheart a smile. "And thank _you_ , for letting me in."

Fireheart nodded. "Of course."

He led Ravenpaw back out the way they had come, where Silverthorn was still sitting, cleaning his claws.

As Fireheart passed by him, he leaned over and whispered, "For someone who teases me for being a kittypet, you sure are as fussy as one."

Silverthorn simply scowled.

* * *

 **Honestly? I just love Silverthorn.**


	23. Chapter 21

**Hey y'all! So sorry for the hiatus, but I'm back with the latest installment of Blazing. Next chapter will be the long-awaited battle!**

 **As always, shoutout to KatieK101 for being an awesome beta :).**

* * *

 _It was late in the day,_ and getting warm. Patrols had returned, and Loudbelly and Whiteclaw had taken Fireheart and Silverthorn's places on sentry duty.

Heavystep and Silverstream were padding towards the fresh-kill pile, and Heavystep raised his tail as he saw Fireheart and Silverthorn return into camp. "Hey!" He called cheerfully. "Want to join us for a meal? Shadepelt, Mosspelt, Vixenpaw, and Grasspaw are all coming too."

Fireheart pricked his ears. It had been some time before they had all gotten together in a group. "Sure!"

Silverthorn shrugged. "I _guess_ … but Heavystep, haven't you done absolutely _nothing_ all day?"

Heavystep looked uncomfortable, but Silverstream jumped to his defense in a heartbeat. "He's just tired, okay?" She practically snapped. "Everyone has their off days!"

"Sheesh, okay." Silverthorn looked surprised, and shared a wide-eyed, confused glance with Fireheart. Fireheart just shrugged.

Heavystep looked away and followed Silverstream as the pair padded towards the fresh-kill pile.

Fireheart watched them go. _They spend a lot of time together,_ he realized. _I wonder if…?_ Then he shook his head. No; assuming something like that was just about as silly as assuming Shadepelt and Vixenpaw had it for each other just because _they_ spent time together!

"Let's go, before Silverstream tries to bite our heads off again," Silverthorn muttered as he brushed by Fireheart. Fireheart just shook his head again and followed them to the fresh-kill pile.

Grasspaw and Mosspelt were already situated, fat fish between their paws. Shadepelt and Vixenpaw were approaching as well, tails lifted in greeting. Fireheart quickly snatched a young salmon and carried it over to join them.

"You ready for the battle?" Grasspaw asked as he kneaded his paws in anticipation. "Sedgecreek says my battle moves have gotten way better!"

Fireheart shrugged half-heartedly. Honestly, he still wasn't sure what to make of it—yes, Brokenstar and his followers were horrendous cats, but surely all of ShadowClan wasn't! He chewed his lip for a moment. _What if we end up destroying them, or wiping them out? That won't make us any better than them…_

Silverthorn his thoughts as he sat down heavily, blue jay in his jaws. "I, for one, am _more_ than ready," he growled as he dropped his meal between his paws. "Those menaces have mistreated the rest of us for too long!"

"I wonder who will go," Shadepelt wondered aloud. She was seated between Fireheart and Vixenpaw. "Crookedstar will choose experienced warriors, surely?"

"He _better_ send Grasspaw and I," Vixenpaw declared, tossing her head. "It's about time we proved we're ready to be warriors!"

Shadepelt threw her a worried glance. "I hope not. Brokenstar and his cats will kill without second thought."

Vixenpaw bristled. "I can take care of myself!" With a growl, she stood and stormed away. Her thick tail lashed furiously behind her.

Shadepelt flinched. "Vixenpaw, I didn't mean it like that!" She jumped to her paws and hurried after the black she-cat.

Fireheart watched them go, perplexed. "What was _that_ about?"

Grasspaw shot him an incredulous look. "Seriously?"

Fireheart frowned. "What? Vixenpaw practically bit her head off!"

"Trouble in paradise?" Mosspelt joked, shaking her head as she leaned forward to take a bite of a carp between her paws.

Fireheart just looked around at the dumbfounded faces, feeling very much like he was missing out on something that everyone else was in on.

* * *

As they finished their meal, a yowl erupted from the Rockpile. Fireheart raised his head, surprised, to see Crookedstar standing atop the pile. "All cats old enough to swim gather beneath the Rockpile to hear my words!"

Silverstream stretched and swiped her tongue across her jaws. "I wonder what that's about?"

Silverthorn looked sharply at her. "You mean Crookedstar didn't tell you anything?"

Silverstream curled her lip. "Just because I'm Crookedstar's daughter doesn't mean I hear everything, Silverthorn." She scoffed in irritation and padded towards the pile.

Fireheart frowned as he watched Heavystep hurry after her, and saw Silverthorn's annoyed expression. _It seems like our group is falling apart,_ he thought, with a twinge of sadness. _Silverthorn and Silverstream are getting into it with each other, Shadepelt and Vixenpaw are fighting, and Heavystep just lays around. But where do I fall?_ He pushed these thoughts aside as he approached the Rockpile.

When Crookedstar was satisfied with the attendance, he sat, wrapping his thick tail around his paws. "I have only a short few things to say," he began. "First, as you should all know, the battle against ShadowClan begins tomorrow. Leopardfur and I have discussed and decided that the following cats will participate—" The entire Clan held their breaths— "Of course, Leopardfur and I. Then there will be Blackclaw, Whiteclaw, Voleclaw, Sedgecreek, Reedtail, Sunfish, Fireheart, Shadepelt, Silverthorn, Heavystep, Vixenpaw, and Grasspaw."

Fireheart pricked his ears. _So I will be going._

Beetlenose and Loudbelly both looked irritated that they had not been chosen to fight, but only shuffled their paws and flattened their ears.

Crookedstar continued after a moment. "Be prepared," he continued. "Those in the battle will not patrol for the rest of the day, so that you will have time to prepare. Now, moving on…" He glanced at Yellowfang and Mudfur, who sat close to the pile. "Your medicine cats have taken on an apprentice. They will be training Ravenpaw of ThunderClan until he can independently care for ThunderClan."

Blackclaw raised his head and snarled, "That's ridiculous!"

Silverthorn agreed with an irritated flick of his ears. "Training our enemies? That's just _dangerous_!"

Yellowfang rose and glared at the outspoken protesters. "I am a medicine cat," she hissed. "Clan boundaries are different for me than they are for you. It matters not who leads a Clan or how infuriating a Clan may be, they _must_ have a medicine cat so they can survive and have a connection to StarClan. ShadowClan committed a horrible deed when they killed Spottedleaf."

Mudfur nodded. "It's already been decided. We agreed with Crookedstar that he must come here to train. In a situation like this, we would ask each medicine cat to help, but that simply isn't possible now."

Crookedstar flicked his ears. "As they said, this has been decided, and is not up for debate. Ravenpaw of ThunderClan will have safe entry to RiverClan until he becomes a full medicine cat." He flicked his tail. "This meeting is dismissed."

Cats broke apart, some finding small groups to gossip about Ravenpaw or the coming battle, while others headed for the fresh-kill pile or their dens.

Fireheart stretched. _Not sure what to do. Perhaps I'll going hunting, anyway…_

"Hey, Fireheart?" The ginger tom blinked as Mallowtail hurried up to him. "Would you mind watching my kits while they swim for a bit? I was going to stretch my legs with Whiteclaw."

Fireheart dipped his head and purred. "Of course!" He was fond of Mallowtail, so watching her kits for a while was hardly a chore to him. "Where are they?"

Mallowtail jerked her head in the direction of the nursery. "Behind the nursery. I _told_ them to wait until someone came to watch them, but I wouldn't be surprised if Sparrowkit was already halfway to ThunderClan." She sighed and shook her head. "Oh, which reminds me- don't let them go past the reeds and cattails! The current gets stronger past there and they haven't had enough practice for that yet."

 _Don't go past the reeds,_ he repeated internally. "Got it!"

Mallowtail padded away to touch noses with Whiteclaw, while Fireheart headed for the nursery. He veered around the den to see four kits on the riverbank. Here, the river came right up along the nursery— there was hardly more than a tail-length of space between the den and the water.

As soon as he arrived, Sparrowkit leaped to her paws. " _Finally_!" She exclaimed. "I've been waiting for _moons_!" Before Fireheart could say a word, she shot forward and splashed in.

Fireheart sighed. "Your mother says to not go past the reeds!"

Cedarkit, the biggest of the littler, crept forward and sniffed the water. With a nonchalant shrug, he padded in— in a much calmer manner— and struck out towards Sparrowkit. Fireheart smiled- he was clearly a natural.

Duskkit took her time, but didn't seem nervous. She slowly headed in until she was up to her shoulders in water, and then began to swim, silent as a hunting otter.

Stormkit, still the smallest of the litter, tottered in on shaky legs. Fireheart could tell he was nervous.

Sparrowkit seemed to have no qualms about the river, and was soon splashing her siblings and growling like a badger. "Take that, ShadowClan scum!" She yowled as she slammed her paws down on the water and splashed it right in Cedarkit's face.

Cedarkit let out a mock growl. "Feel my claws, fish-face!" He leaped towards her, but fell short as she hopped back, and flopped into the water ungracefully.

Fireheart turned his attention to Stormkit, who still seemed to be struggling. The tiny tortoiseshell was unsteady, and his nose kept dipping below the surface, causing him to splutter.

"Hold your chin up, Stormkit!" Fireheart called. "And try to extend your strokes as far as you can."

Stormkit's ears pricked, and he let out a nervous squeak as water ran over his nose. Snorting the water out, he held his chin up out of the water. "O-okay!" The advice seem to help–he was moving a little faster now, with far less splashing.

"Great work!" Fireheart purred. "You'll be swimming like a fish in no time." He scanned the shallows for the other kits. Duskkit was still easily gliding through the water, Cedarkit was stopping on the shore to inspect a snail, and Sparrowkit…

"Sparrowkit!" Fireheart shouted. "Come back here!"

The she-cat was swimming for the edge of the reeds, seemingly intent on getting through. Her ear flicked, but she ignored the warrior and just kept going.

"Sparrowkit!" Fireheart tried again, standing. "The current is too strong out there!"

As though to prove his point, as soon as Sparrowkit pushed through the reeds, she let out a shriek as she was swept off her course by the river.

"Oh, StarClan…" Fireheart gritted his teeth before he leaped into the water and began to wade towards the reeds. "You three, stay right here!" He ordered, before he dove through the reeds and into the river.

The current wasn't too strong for a grown cat like Fireheart, but it seemed to be pulling Sparrowkit down the river much faster than Fireheart would've liked. He could still see her shape, paws flailing as she wailed, and he began to swim into the current. "I'm coming!" he yowled, as he swam as quickly as he could.

His heart clenched with fear when he saw Sparrowkit disappear under the water for a moment, but she quickly bobbed back to the top, spluttering and coughing. Fireheart kicked his legs as hard as he could, and he quickly began to gain on her. "I've almost got you!" Fireheart called.

"Fireheart!" Sparrowkit cried, turning herself around to face him. It looked like she was trying to swim for him, but she was only slowing herself down a little.

Fireheart finally reached the kit, swam forward, and snatched her scruff in his jaws. He let out a grunt as he felt her weight pull him a bit, but he held her up as best he could and struck out for the shore. When he had regained his footing, the ginger tom began to pad through the shallow water back to the reedbed. Sparrowkit hung in his jaws like a deadweight, but he could hear her tired yet noisy panting.

When Fireheart reached the reedbed, he found Skyheart sitting on the shore, Sparrowkit's littermates pressed to her sides. "You got her!" Skyheart sighed in relief. "These three told me what happened."

Fireheart set the soaked kit down and sat down heavily. "She's alright."

Sparrowkit raised her head to gaze up at Fireheart. "That was…"

Fireheart expected 'scary', 'horrible', or even 'terrifying', but Sparrowkit kneaded her paws and exclaimed, " _Awesome_!"

Skyheart narrowed her eyes furiously. "Listen here, you little upstart!" The queen snapped. "You could have drowned, or been carried off by a heron, or otherwise _died_! Imagine what that would have done to your siblings, or your mother, for StarClan's sake!"

Sparrowkit lowered her head, startled by the sudden scolding. "I just wanted-…"

"That doesn't matter," Skyheart huffed. "You disobeyed Fireheart and Mallowtail and nearly got yourself killed." With a sigh, she reached out and pulled Sparrowkit close. "Oh, come here."

Fireheart smiled a little as he watched the queen rasp her tongue over Sparrowkit's head. "I'm glad you're alright," she murmured. Skyheart glanced up at Fireheart and blinked gratefully. "Thank you." she prodded Sparrowkit. "Don't you have something to say, too?"

Sparrowkit looked up at Fireheart solemnly. "Th–thank you, Fireheart."

Fireheart nodded and smiled at the young kit. "Of course. Just save the swimming out there for when you're an apprentice. I don't want to have be jumping in to save you every day!"

Sparrowkit nodded hurriedly. "Okay. I will!"

Skyheart rose and ushered the kits away from the river, and back towards the nursery.

Fireheart stretched, noting the soreness in his muscles. He sat and began to lap at his pelt to get it drier. _I should sleep,_ He thought, stretching out a hind leg to lick his fur. _I'll need all the rest I can get before tomorrow._

When he was satisfied with his pelt, Fireheart rose and padded back into camp, and headed straight for the warriors' den. Inside, Sunfish, Whiteclaw, and Heavystep were already sleeping. Briefly, Fireheart wondered just _what_ Heavystep's deal was—as Silverthorn had remarked earlier, he'd already spent the day lounging around—but he pushed the thought away with a sigh and curled up in his nest. Fireheart's mind buzzed with worries about tomorrow's battle, but somehow, StarClan soon granted him a peaceful, dreamless sleep.


	24. Chapter 22

**Hey, everyone! I had to take another short hiatus, since school and life otherwise was pretty hectic.**

 **Reviews:**

 **BrightMind: Thanks! Yeah, while Thistlestar definitely _is_ hungry for power, and that will come into play later, I wanted there to be more to his character than just that. While he wants power, he knows how to make calculated risks rather than just rushing into battle on whim. As for Bluefur, she will be a bigger character in the next book, but she certainly won't just be an all-knowing figure.**

 **Foreststar of WindClan: Yes, I'm pretty sure Heavystep retires early due to an unnamed illness in canon. As for the two Silver-'s, both cats are canon. I considered removing Silverpaw/thorn, but I ended up sticking with him.**

* * *

 _It was quiet in RiverClan,_ and the morning air was filled with the scents of worry and tension. Today was the day—Today RiverClan and ThunderClan would attack ShadowClan as a united force and hopefully drive Brokenstar and his followers from the territories forever.

Not long after the morning dew had dried, Crookedstar let out a yowl to call together the Clan. RiverClan crowded around the Rockpile, as they anxiously awaited his announcement.

Fireheart stared solemnly up at Crookedstar as the RiverClan leader scanned the Clan. Still full of uncertainty about the battle, his tail flicked nervously. _I don't want war,_ The warrior thought. _But maybe… maybe sometimes the only way to reach peace is to fight for it._

"Cats of RiverClan," Crookedstar began. "Today we fight against ShadowClan, as you know. Those of you in the battle should be ready shortly after this meeting ends. We will meet our allies at the twoleg bridge and head towards ShadowClan from there. As for those of you remaining here, I ask that you stay in camp in case of a pressing situation. Beetlenose, you will be in charge until we return."

The smoky tom pricked his ears and dipped his head. "I'll do my best."

"That is all," Crookedstar finished. "I will speak briefly with Leopardfur, and then we will leave." He leaped down from the Rockpile and padded towards his den, Leopardfur close behind.

Cats began to split up, and those who were not fighting came to the sides of their close friends to wish them well. Fireheart watched as Whiteclaw, in an unusually tender moment, pressed his muzzle to Mallowtail's before he nosed each of their kits.

Fireheart blinked as Yellowfang padded up to him, eyes narrowed. "Listen," she huffed gruffly. "Brokenstar and his cats aren't afraid to kill. But not everyone supports him, especially after he exiled the elders."

Fireheart's green eyes widened. "He did that?"

Yellowfang nodded. "Yes. I have a favor to ask of you—be aware of those on your side. I suspect Thistlestar and that deputy of his won't care if you have allies in ShadowClan, who want nothing more than to see Brokenstar dead. They just want to spill blood. But I trust you, Fireheart, to see the good in my birth Clan." The medicine cat flicked him with her thick tail. "And for StarClan's sake, don't get your foolish self killed."

Fireheart purred a little. "Well, don't drop dead while I'm away, you old badger." More seriously, he added, "I'll do my best. I don't… I don't want to see anyone die, especially not another kit."

Yellowfang sighed heavily. "Sometimes, Fireheart, death is inevitable."

Before he could say any more, Fireheart heard Crookedstar yowl; the signal that it was time to depart. The ginger tom quickly touched his nose to Yellowfang's ear before he turned away and joined the patrol that was gathering at the camp entrance.

Leopardfur's critical gaze swept over the patrol before she nodded. "They're all here, Crookedstar."

The RiverClan leader lashed his tail once. "Then let us go." Fireheart noticed that today, Crookedstar stood a little taller and prouder than usual, and there was a fierce glint of determination in his eye that Fireheart had not seen in a long time.

* * *

When they arrived at the Twoleg bridge, Fireheart spotted ThunderClan sitting on the opposite end, talking quietly among themselves. Thistlestar and Tigerclaw stood to greet the RiverClan patrol as they crossed to join them.

"About time," Tigerclaw growled.

"Hush," Thistlestar tossed his deputy a stern look before he padded forward to stand before Crookedstar. "Greetings. Are your cats ready to fight?"

Crookedstar dipped his head. "It's been many seasons since RiverClan has launched a full attack like this… But they're ready."

Thistlestar nodded curtly. "Good. Let's get this over with. The sooner Brokenstar joins the Dark Forest, the better." He flicked his tail, and his warriors stood.

Together, the two Clans continued on through the grassy field. Fireheart found himself surprised at how easily the two rival Clans fell in step with one another, mingling as though they had always been one. _War can bring even the worst of enemies together,_ Fireheart thought, and shook his head a little as he walked.

A familiar voice came from beside him as a sandy-ginger she-cat joined him. "Hey."

"Sandpaw?" Fireheart blinked. "Aren't you injured?"

Sandpaw shrugged. "The scratch is doing better since Yellowfang treated it. Besides, Thistlestar doesn't care, and Tigerclaw says this our second chance to prove we're ready to become warriors."

"...Second chance?" Fireheart echoed, as a frown played across his lips. "Did you fail your assessment?"

"No thanks to you all," Sandpaw muttered, before she glanced at him. "Don't you remember the attack Graypaw, Dustpaw, Ravenpaw, and I fought in against you on Sunningrocks? _That_ was our assessment."

Fireheart's eyes widened. "That's… kind of horrible. What if you had died?"

Sandpaw raised a brow. "I just told you we attacked you to become warriors, and you're worried about _our_ lives?" She shook her head, but Fireheart noticed her smile a little. "Like I said… you're the strangest cat I've ever met."

"Thanks, I guess," Fireheart replied, not sure whether or not he should take that as a compliment or an insult. "But are you sure you can fight?"

He winced a little at the suddenly fierce glare Sandpaw threw him. "Either I fight, or Brokenstar's cronies kill me. I'm not weak, and I'm sure not about to die today."

"Sorry," Fireheart mumbled. "I didn't mean to offend you."

The two fell into a tense silence, until a muscular gray tom shoved his way between them. "Fireheart!" Graypaw purred. "Long time, no see."

"Graypaw," Fireheart smiled, a little relieved at his appearance. "It's been a while."

"It sure has!" The gray tom exclaimed cheerfully, as though he was unaware of the mild tension between the two cats. "I'll be honest, I still can't believe you're a warrior—and before me, no less!"

Fireheart gave his chest an embarrassed lick before he glanced over Graypaw's shoulders at Sandpaw, who was now scowling. _What's her deal?_ "Sandpaw says you might become warriors after this, though."

Graypaw nodded, and his eyes glinted with determination. "That's right," he said. "I just wish Ravenpaw was with us, though… I miss training alongside him."

Sandpaw shrugged. "He was too anxious to ever make a good warrior. He's doing what's best for himself and the Clan."

Graypaw shot her an annoyed look. "Whatever."

Fireheart was spared another awkward silence when Silverthorn glanced over his shoulder and called for him. "Fireheart!"

"I should go see what he wants," Fireheart said, a little apologetically. "Good luck." Without waiting for a response he hurried ahead, and brushed past a few ThunderClan cats before he reached Silverthorn.

The silver tabby jerked his head towards the pair of apprentices. "What was _that_ all about?"

Fireheart shrugged. "We were just talking. They're…" He was going to say _friends_ , but he wasn't even sure he should call the ThunderClan cats that. "...acquaintances," he finished, lamely. "Graypaw was the first Clan cat I ever met, and I've spoken to Sandpaw a few times."

Silverthorn narrowed his eyes. "Don't get the wrong idea with them, Fireheart," he growled. "No matter how this battle goes, they'll _always_ be our enemies."

Fireheart bristled slightly. "We just talk sometimes," he defended himself. "And I didn't ask for your advice. We're hardly friends ourselves."

Silverthorn let out a frustrated growl. "Fine," he snapped. "Excuse me for trying to help you." Ears flat, he bounded ahead, leaving Fireheart alone in the middle of the traveling Clans.

Fireheart sighed and flicked his tail irritably. _What is it with Silverthorn?_ He thought. _One moment he wants to shove me into the gorge, and the next he's trying to give me life advice._

The two Clans soon reached the Thunderpath and lined up in the ditch alongside it. "On my mark!" Thistlestar shouted as he watched the moving monsters with sharp, keen eyes. "Almost… now!"

Half the group charged across as the final monster roared by. Fireheart was in the second group, and kneaded his paws in anticipation as he waited for their turn. He'd never crossed himself, but he knew that even just a bump from one of the monsters could seriously put him in a world of hurt… or worse.

Leopardfur crouched as monsters continued to speed by. "Gap coming up in a few seconds… go!" She leaped from the ditch and raced across, and the rest of the remaining cats followers suit.

Fireheart's heart nearly beat out of his chest as he pelted across the rough, dark surface, and he nearly thought his paw pads were going to rip off entirely.

"Monster!" Darkstripe shrieked, putting on an extra burst of speed and rushing past Fireheart.

The ginger warrior could hear the rumbling monster gaining on them, but he wasted no time looking. Fireheart bunched up his muscles, and leaped, clearing the distance to the other side and landed in a heap in the ditch.

"Are you okay?" He heard Silverthorn ask, and looked up to see the silver tom standing over him.

"I'm fine," Fireheart grunted as he pushed himself up to his paws. "Than—"

"Good," Silverthorn spat, cutting him off, and whipped around to continue walking.

Fireheart narrowed his eyes in frustration as they continued on into the marshy pine forest. _Arrogant minnow-brain._

Whereas ThunderClan was bright and lush, ShadowClan was darker, and heavy with the scent of mud and pine sap. The tall trees loomed over them, casting dark shadows across the land and the invading cats.

Fireheart supposed he could see some of the beauty here, too—the stones were covered in all manner of soft mosses and lichens, bright flowers blossomed in the patches of sunlight, and speckled toadstools rose from decaying logs and branches.

Thistlestar and Crookedstar halted from the front of the group, and both leaders raised their tails to stop their clanmates. "There's someone ahead," Thistlestar hissed, before he sprang forward into the towering ferns before him. A sharp screech rang out, and Fireheart pricked his ears. _What if that's one of the elders?_

Ignoring Leopardfur's hiss, the ginger tom pushed his way forward and rushed through the undergrowth. Thistlestar had a flat-faced black-and-white queen on her back, and despite being skinny and aged, she struggled as hard as she could.

"Murdering ShadowClan scum!" Thistlestar spat. "Your blood will be the first to be spilled."

"Wait!" she protested. "I'm not—"

"Your lies won't save you!" Thistlestar roared, opening his jaws to attack her throat.

"Stop!" Fireheart yowled as he leaped forward, and taking the leader by surprised, shoved him away. "She's an elder!"

Thistlestar turned on him and bared his teeth. "You kittypet annoyance," he spat. "She deserves no mercy."

Fireheart stared him down. He could feel his paws trembling, and for a moment, the image of the massive tom looming over him as a kit flashed into his mind. _I'm not a kit anymore,_ he reminded himself. "Yellowfang told me Brokenstar exiled the elders. Not everyone in ShadowClan supports him."

The queen sat up and coughed. "He's right," she said. "Brokenstar threw us out. There are cats in ShadowClan who would be glad to see him exiled."

Thistlestar narrowed his eyes. "How can we trust you?"

The queen glared at him. "I can smell ThunderClan and RiverClan. Brokenstar won't stand a chance. What do I have to gain from deceiving you? I'll die out here unless ShadowClan takes the other elders and I back."

Thistlestar was silent for a long moment. "It's clear!" he called, and the two Clans pushed their ways through the bracken.

"Who's this mange-pelt?" A ThunderClan warrior hissed, while others stared suspiciously.

"Our guide," Thistlestar growled. "Lead the way, elder. And you, kittypet, can go ahead with her, since you're so keen on protecting her."

Fireheart held his ground. _You're not my leader,_ he thought.

"Fireheart stays with us," Crookedstar said with a flick of his tail. His eyes narrowed in the slightest—he was clearly not pleased that Thistlestar was trying to order around one of _his_ warriors.

Fireheart looked from the ragged queen to Thistlestar. "No, I will go," he said, and raised his chin. "I'm not afraid to lead."

Thistlestar curled his lip a little in displeasure as Fireheart pointedly strode past him. The elderly queen stood and followed, and shot a final glare at the ThunderClan leader

"Thank you," the elder mewed, once they were a few fox-lengths ahead. "My name is Brightflower. You said you knew Yellowfang…?"

Fireheart nodded. "I'm Fireheart. She's become a medicine cat of RiverClan. Were you two friends? She doesn't speak much of ShadowClan."

Brightflower's eyes dimmed with grief. "She's my daughter," she murmured. "She was thrown out when my second litter was found dead. Yellowfang was at the scene of their murder, and Brokenstar accused her. I believed him, and I was so angry…" She sighed. "But now that Brokenstar has become the monster he is, I can't believe I ever believed in him."

Fireheart frowned. "She told me that she was framed and cast out."

Brightflower nodded. "We all believed him. We were all so blind… Now my mate is dead, and I'm an exile for being too old to hunt properly."

"I'm so sorry," Fireheart murmured. "ShadowClan sounds awful."

Brightflower shook her head. "Any Clan can become corrupt under a bad leader, Fireheart. Just look at ThunderClan…" She lowered her voice. "Thistlestar has never been kind. Don't trust him. After this battle, he'll go right back to trying to destroy your Clan. He thrives off of battling."

Fireheart felt chilled by her words, and again, the memory of his first encounter came rushing back. He gritted his teeth and tried to force the thought away. "Yeah," he agreed. "I don't trust him."

"Shh…" Brightflower whispered, ears flat. "We're here."

* * *

Thistlestar and Crookedstar stood closest to the entrance. "We need to move quickly," Thistlestar hissed. "Before those rats scent us."

Crookedstar nodded. "Let's go. StarClan be with us."

"ThunderClan!" Thistlestar threw back his head and roared. " _Attack_!" Wasting no time, the massive tom raced through the camp entrance, and his warriors poured in after him.

"RiverClan, to me!" Crookedstar yowled, leading their charge into the camp.

Fireheart was only just behind his leader as they rushed into ShadowClan's camp. His eyes widened as he saw Thistlestar leap on the back of Clawface, and ThunderClan cats eagerly began to attack the other ShadowClan cats.

It was instant chaos. ShadowClan was clearly terribly outnumbered, but they were fighting like lions to defend their camp.

"Brokenstar!" Fireheart heard Tigerclaw screech. "Show your face!"

Fireheart first camp face-to-face with a thick-furred gray-and-brown she-cat. "Fish-face!" The she-cat spat. "You cowards couldn't even fight us alone!" She leaped forward, claws extended, and Fireheart only barely managed to roll out of the way. He let out a sharp, startled cry as he felt her teeth in his tail, and the ginger warrior lashed out with a hind leg in response, and kicked her directly in the eye.

The she-cat let out a howl and stumbled back as she shook her head, momentarily blinded. Fireheart took the opportunity to get up and tear into her shoulder with a well-aimed swipe. She staggered, unbalanced, and let out another hiss of fury and pain.

Fireheart had been readying himself to spring when heavy paws gripped his haunches and shoved him to the ground from behind. He swallowed as he recognized Blackfoot, ShadowClan's massive and ferocious deputy. "If it isn't the kittypet warrior," He sneered smugly. "This should be easy."

Fireheart tried to squirm away, but the larger tom easily slammed his paws on Fireheart's exposed belly, and painfully winded him. Fireheart gasped for breath as Blackfoot pressed a paw to his throat. "Say hello to StarClan for me," he snarled.

Fireheart could hardly move, still trying to recover from his last blow. _I don't want to die like this!_

Much to Fireheart's surprise, a gray cat slammed into Blackfoot's side and threw him off balance. Blackfoot stumbled back and released Fireheart. "You traitor!" He spat, and stared wide-eyed at Fireheart's savior.

"Flintfang!" Fireheart gasped as he recognized the tom.

Flintfang flicked his ear. "You're a traitor to StarClan and the warrior code, Blackfoot," he spat. "I'm sure our ancestors will forgive me!" He threw himself at his deputy, and the two toms rolled away as they clawed and hissed and spat.

Fireheart lay limp for another moment to catch his breath before he heaved himself up to his paws and scanned the camp to observe the battle. Like Flintfang, it seemed many ShadowClan cats had turned on their clanmates—a russet-furred she-cat clawed at the she-cat Fireheart had fought earlier, and Brightflower was attacking a young tom with Stonefur of ThunderClan. He glimpsed Vixenpaw and Shadepelt fighting side-by-side while Reedtail tackled a scarred tom.

Fireheart stiffened as he saw Darkstripe holding down a mewling Cedarpaw. Letting out a low growl, he leaped up and charged across the clearing, dodged the fighting cats, and hurled himself at Darkstripe. "Leave him alone!" He spat, roughly headbutting the warrior in the side. "He's a kit, for StarClan's sake!"

Darkstripe whirled upon him. "Pathetic kittypet," he hissed. "All of these cats should be killed for what they've done!"

Yellowfang's words echoed in Fireheart's head. _They only want to spill blood…_ "Then go kill Brokenstar or Blackfoot," Fireheart snarled. "Leave kits out of your bloodthirst."

Cedarpaw trembled and crept behind Fireheart. "I don't like Brokenstar," he whimpered. "He's real mean."

Darkstripe sneered down at the kit before he glanced back at Fireheart. "If we weren't allies, I'd kill you right where you stand." With a furious lash of his tail, Darkstripe backed away and leaped back into the fray.

Fireheart looked down at Cedarpaw. "Are there queens in the nursery?" He asked. Cedarpaw nodded, and Fireheart continued. "Go to the nursery. You shouldn't be fighting."

Cedarpaw stared down at his paws. "But Brokenstar—"

"We're here to get rid of him," Fireheart said, eyes narrowed. "You'll be safe, Cedarpaw, I promise."

Cedarpaw hesitated before he nodded and hurried off across camp and ducked into a sheltered den. Fireheart turned back to the battle. However, it seemed most fighting had stilled, with all eyes on the cats in the center of camp.

Tigerclaw and Leopardfur had Blackfoot pinned to the ground, while Crookedstar and Thistlestar circled Brokenstar, who snarled with all the rage of a hungry dog. "Just admit defeat," Crookedstar growled. "Your cats are outnumbered."

"I say we just kill him," Thistlestar snapped. "The Clans would be better off without him." Many cats, ShadowClan included, hissed their agreement eagerly.

Crookedstar shook his head. "Brokenstar, if you surrender now, you can flee with your life and never bother the Clans again."

Brokenstar glared up at Crookedstar, full of malice and hate. "You think you StarClan-obsessed fools can get rid of _me_?" He cast a scornful look at Thistlestar. "I expected more of _you_ , at least."

"You are a foolish _kit_ compared to me," Thistlestar snapped, eyes narrowed to furious slits. "Leave before I ignore Crookedstar's offer and tear out your throat."

Fireheart expected Brokenstar to refuse—he began to crouch low, as though preparing himself to strike—but after a long, tense moment, his shoulders slumped in defeat. "I'll leave," He relented, bitterly.

Crookedstar raised his chin. "Those of you would follow this exile are to leave with him and live the lives of rogues. You've disgraced your clanmates and the name of a warrior."

Some ShadowClan cats began to hiss and shove one another, until they had pushed a few cats into the middle with Brokenstar. Tigerclaw roughly shouldered Blackfoot towards them. "These are his closest warriors," A ShadowClan tom growled. "We don't want them to stay."

"Your life as a leader is no more, Broken _tail_ ," Thistlestar hissed. "Take your cats and live out the rest of your lives as disgraced rogues."

Brokentail let out a wordless snarl and lashed his tail. The cats nearest to the camp entrance parted to allow the exiles to leave. Brokentail, ears flat, led them through and out of camp, and as soon as the last rogue's tail vanished from sight, the cats began to caterwaul their victory.

Fireheart threw back his head and yowled with them. _We actually did it!_ He thought. _Brokenstar–Brokentail is gone for good. These cats can live in peace now._

When the cheers fell, a russet-furred she-cat pushed her way to the center where Thistlestar and Crookedstar stood. She dipped her head respectfully. "My name is Russetfur. ShadowClan thanks you," she said. "Brokenstar was a tyrant. Many of us did not agree with his ways."

Thistlestar curled his lip. "And yet you invaded the lands of both our Clans and chased out WindClan."

Russetfur nodded with a flick of her ear. "The word of a leader is law," she explained, simply. "Our actions may have been wrong, but we had to follow our leader's wishes. I hope that ThunderClan and RiverClan can allow us peace and time to recover."

Thistlestar opened his jaws to speak, but Crookedstar cut him off. "Of course," The RiverClan leader said. "ShadowClan deserves a chance at peace, same as all Clans."

Thistlestar glared, but didn't argue. "I suppose," he muttered, but Fireheart narrowed his eyes at the words. _That fox wouldn't know peace if it hit him in the nose,_ he thought.

Thistlestar flicked his tail. "Whitestorm, Stonefur, make sure the rogues leave."

The two warriors parted from the group and hurried out of ShadowClan's camp. Thistlestar glanced at the russet-furred she-cat. "ThunderClan will take our leave." With another flick of his tail, his clanmates grouped around him, and without any parting words, they departed.

"We'd best leave as well," Crookedstar decided. "Good luck to you and your Clan."

"Thank you, again," Russetfur said gratefully. "You won't be having anymore trouble from ShadowClan."

Crookedstar nodded curtly. "Good to hear. RiverClan, we're leaving."

Fireheart began to pad towards his clanmates, but stopped as he spotted Flintfang licking a scratch on his leg. He hurried up the the warrior. "Flintfang," Fireheart greeted him. "Thank you for saving me. I thought I was crow-food."

Flintfang glanced up and shrugged. "You saved my son's life. I figured I should return the favor."

Fireheart nodded. "Either way– thank you." He turned away and headed towards his clanmates, who were starting to file out of camp.

Fireheart cast one final glance at ShadowClan over his shoulder before he pushed his way through the tunnel. The Clan was wounded, leaderless, and clearly exhausted, but he could see the hope in their eyes gleaming brighter than Silverpelt.

 _They'll be alright,_ Fireheart thought with a smile as he watched queens creep from the nursery, eyes wide with relief. _Brokentail's reign is over._


	25. Chapter 23 - End

**This is it, guys! The last chapter of Into the Wild is done :). Thanks SO MUCH to everyone who's followed, favorited, read, and reviewed this story! Your reviews always mean so much to me. And as always, thanks to KatieK101, my awesome beta. Don't worry, though- this series is from from over and the first few chapters of Fire and Ice are already in the works! It'll be posted later today or tomorrow. Can't wait for y'all to see it! This final chapter is a little short, mostly because it's really just a conclusion to this story.**

 **Reviews:**

 **Eaglewhisker: You're so sweet! I've definitely thought about it, but I have a hard time coming up with non-fanfiction stories and actually seeing them through to the end. But I'll probably always keep writing as a hobby. The idea was a combo of a short prompt I think I saw on tumblr and my own ideas- I think the prompt was pretty much just "what if Rusty joined RiverClan", and everything else I've developed from that point. (But Katie is a always a _huge_ help with ideas for the plot!)**

 **Seeker3: No; Spottedleaf died without Fireheart so much as having a conversation with her, so he won't be meeting Spottedleaf in this universe. However, he probably _will_ have some kind of occasional guide from StarClan, but I won't say who. As for relationships, one is revealed right in this chapter! And don't worry- Brightflower and Yellowfang will see each other again. **

**: I will say that Graystripe keeps his name, mostly because he was named for his definitive stripe and neither Katie nor I could really think of a better one!**

* * *

 _Fireheart sighed in relief as he padded_ into camp, just behind a limping Reedtail. Though most warriors had a few injuries, there were no severe wounds, and not a single casualty.

Grasspaw trod alongside him, head bowed with exhaustion. "We really did it, huh?"

"Yeah," Fireheart agreed, and grinned at his friend. "We did."

"RiverClan!" Crookedstar yowled. The cats who had stayed behind pricked their ears, clearly eager to hear the news of the battle. Wasting no time, he hurried ahead of his clanmates and ascended the Rockpile. "We've won!"

Cheers and yowls erupted from the RiverClan cats.

"RiverClan! RiverClan! RiverClan!"

Crookedstar lashed his tail, and the Clan fell into silence. "Brokenstar and his closest allies have been exiled from ShadowClan. We have agreed to allow peace, and ShadowClan promised we would have no more trouble from their cats."

"Who leads ShadowClan now?" Beetlenose asked.

"I suppose we will find out at the next Gathering," Crookedstar explained simply. "ShadowClan's business is out of our paws."

"What of ThunderClan?" Graypool rasped. "That Thistlestar will be back to invading Sunningrocks in no time."

Crookedstar gave the elder a small smile. "In due time, Graypool. For now, there are other matters to attend to—Grasspaw, Vixenpaw, please, come forward."

"Hey," Fireheart whispered and shouldered the tabby apprentice beside him. "That's you!"

"That _is_ me," Grasspaw purred and gave Fireheart an affectionate glance before he padded towards the Rockpile. Vixenpaw quickly joined him, head and tail both raised high with pride.

"These apprentices have proved themselves in the battle against ShadowClan," Crookedstar decreed. "I, Crookedstar, leader of RiverClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in turn."

He leaped down from the Rockpile to stand before Vixenpaw. "Do you, Vixenpaw, promise to uphold the warrior code and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Vixenpaw nodded firmly. "I do," she said, voice unwavering.

Crookedstar laid his muzzle on her head. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Vixenpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Vixenfrost. StarClan honors your dedication and bravery, and we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan."

Vixenfrost licked Crookedstar's shoulder in respect, and the RiverClan leader turned away to address her brother. "Grasspaw," he said. "Do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Grasspaw grinned easily and twitched his whiskers. "I sure do!"

Crookedstar chuckled. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name." The tabby tom pressed his muzzle to Grasspaw's head. "Grasspaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Grassfoot. StarClan honors your strength and courage, and we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan."

Grassfoot licked his leader's shoulder, and Crookedstar stepped back. "Grassfoot! Vixenfrost!" he began to chant, and the Clan quickly picked up the cry.

"Grassfoot! Vixenfrost! Grassfoot! Vixenfrost!"

Fireheart threw back his head and yowled along with them, full of pride for his friends. "Grassfoot! Vixenfrost!"

Crookedstar raised his head as the cheers began to fall. "Let us feast and enjoy this victory!"

The Clan broke apart—some headed for the fresh-kill pile, while others pressed around the newly named warriors to give their congratulations.

Fireheart padded towards Grassfoot. He waited for Sunfish to give her son's ear a happy lick before he stepped forward with a smile. "You did it!"

Grassfoot grinned and shouldered him. "I did! It feels great."

Fireheart laughed. "Just wait for your vigil. Staying up all night is _not_ fun when you have patrols the next day." He flicked Grassfoot with his tail. "Seriously, though, I'm glad. We hardly get any time together ever since I became a warrior."

Grassfoot just chuckled lightheartedly. "Just you wait! You won't be able to get rid of me now."

Fireheart glanced at Vixenfrost. The black she-cat stood before Shadepelt, and the pair were both staring at their paws. "I ought to congratulate your sister, too."

Grassfoot smiled knowingly and shook his head. "Oh, I think you'd better wait. There's a lover's quarrel being reconciled."

Fireheart glanced at Grassfoot, eyes wide. _What did he...?_ "A… lover's quarrel? Wait, you mean that Vixenfrost and Shadepelt…?"

Grassfoot snickered and nudged him again. "You oblivious badger!" He purred. "Those two have been padding after each other for _ages_. Seriously, we've been betting our dawn patrols on how long it would take for you to realize." Grassfoot cast a smug look at Silverthorn from across camp. "Silverthorn owes me my next three dawn patrols. He gave it another moon."

Fireheart just rolled his eyes good-naturedly and shoved his friend back. "You're all the worst," he said with an amused smile. "I can't believe I consider you my friends."

Grassfoot licked his lips and eyed the fresh-kill pile hungrily. "I don't know about you, but I'd love to get some grub before this gluttons eat it all."

"Glutton yourself!" Fireheart purred. "I'm sure with little practice you could easily be out-eating Heavystep."

Side-by-side, the two toms headed for the fresh-kill pile. Yellowfang and Mudfur were each looking through the fresh-kill, while Silverthorn had just picked up a robin. When he turned and saw Fireheart, the warrior expected another biting comment. Instead, Silverthorn dropped the bird with a frown. "Hey," he huffed.

Grassfoot just rolled his eyes and brushed past the two of them. "I'm staying out of this one!" he meowed over his shoulder as he hurried towards the fresh-kill pile.

"Hello," Fireheart replied curtly. "Got another criticism for me today?"

"About that," Silverthorn flicked his tail awkwardly. "I'm… sorry. Just—I'm glad you're alright." He stared down at his paws, and surprised Fireheart with his humility. "I shouldn't have snapped earlier. ThunderClan is just— well, they've been causing problems for us long before you came here. I don't trust them, and certainly not around my clanmates."

Fireheart gave him a weak smile. "Trust me," he said, and Silverthorn glanced back up to meet his gaze. "I'm not fond of them as a whole either. They just don't all seem to bad."

"Maybe," Silverthorn said, but his tone made it clear he didn't actually agree. "Either way. Glad you're okay." He quickly snatched up his robin and padded past Fireheart, ears flat.

 _That was… unusual, for him,_ Fireheart thought. _But at least he hasn't gone back to hating me._ Fireheart shook his head and joined Grassfoot at the fresh-kill pile.

"Meet me by the usual spot when you've got food," Grassfoot told him as he brushed by.

Fireheart nodded as he glanced over the pile. He looked up as Yellowfang padded close to him. "How are they?" she murmured quietly.

Fireheart knew she was talking about ShadowClan. "Battered, but… I think they'll do fine." Yellowfang let out a sigh, and Fireheart leaned in a little closer and added, "I met your mother. Brightflower—she seemed… regretful. About what happened when you were exiled."

Yellowfang's eyes filled with grief. "I can hardly blame her for wanting to see me cast out. I may not have killed those kits, but it looked that way…" She shook her head. "Perhaps I will see her at the next gathering. Thank you, Fireheart."

"Of course," Fireheart touched his nose to her ear.

"Keeping my meal companion from me, Fireheart?" Mudfur called with a smile. "Get on with you and be with your friends."

Yellowfang cast a fond look at the medicine cat over her shoulder. "The old coot is right," she said. "Go on, Fireheart."

Fireheart purred and grabbed a young trout before he headed for Grassfoot, who was sitting beside Silverstream and Heavystep. He sat next to Grassfoot, and smiled as he noticed the quiet closeness Silverstream and Heavystep had. They sat close enough that their pelts occasionally brushed, and every now and then their tails would curl over the other's. _Maybe I wasn't wrong to wonder about them after all,_ Fireheart thought.

Soon, Shadepelt and Vixenfrost joined them, and both looked happier than Fireheart had seen in some time. They gazed at each other with an intense fondness when they thought no one was looking, and Fireheart almost chuckled as he realized how foolish he had been not to notice it before.

It was not long before Mosspelt ushered Silverthorn towards the group, despite his grumbled and muttered protests. Fireheart looked up and shared a glance with the tom, and hoped he knew that Fireheart had no ill will towards him.

 _We've all come so far,_ Fireheart thought as he took a bite of his fish. _I grew up alongside these cats, and now we're all warriors… and somehow, we managed to stick together._

Though RiverClan was full of joy, and it seemed peace was on the horizon, Fireheart could not help but feel unsettled. _ShadowClan may not be a threat anymore, but who knows what Brokentail will do, even if he is a rogue… and it can't be long before Thistlestar is back to his old tricks._

But something more nagged in the back of his mind—something Brokenstar had said. His words echoed in Fireheart's head. " _I expected more of_ you _, at least,"_ he had hissed at Thistlestar. It could have just been the words of an angry, cornered cat, but something about it made Fireheart think it meant more than that. _Do they know each other?_ he wondered. _More than leaders of rival Clans normally would?_

Fireheart tried to push the thoughts away with a sigh. RiverClan's troubles were far from over, that much was certain. But today was a day of celebration, and a day like this didn't need to be ruined with worrying of the future. _Brokenstar has been overthrown, the Clans are safe, and the last of my friends are warriors,_ he thought. _RiverClan continues to grow stronger. We can deal with whatever is coming. But for today… for today we can celebrate our victory. We've earned it._

 ** _To be continued..._**


End file.
